Fall From Grace
by wallowinthehallow
Summary: Chapter 17 is UP! It has been a while for this fiction so to re-cap. Rory makes a mistake that will change her life while on Spring Break. Somewhere in the middle of all the chaos surrounding her daughter Lorelai finds her self falling in love with Luke,
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Like I said I am not ASP

AN: This is my first fiction so be kind in reviewing. Please send me any feed back you think would be helpful!

Chapter One- Fall from Grace

She lay in the bed staring at the ceiling. She was thinking about how she even got there. She knew how she got there, a couple of drinks, a couple of nice words, and she gave in. She wanted to be bad, she wanted to be free, she went there because she was always the good girl and for once in her life she wanted to give in, give up and just be a little crazy.

Rory was always the play it safe girl. She rarely ruffled any feathers, she wasn't wild or out of control. She was planned, thoughtful and never caused much if any trouble. It was for all those reasons that she decided to go to Florida with her roommates and friends spring break of her freshman year at Yale.

Her mother was surprised by her wanting to go. She was thrilled that her sometimes tightly wound daughter decided to take a break that she had been begging her to take since she was in kindergarten.

Now laying in the dark of the hotel room that smelled of stale cigarettes and cheap beer, she couldn't believe what she had done. She looked at the person lying next to her and tried hard to remember if she even knew his last name or anything about him other than he didn't know what the sticks they were using to hit each other in the pool were called. She came up blank at every turn.

She felt him stirring beside her and instantly felt sick, what does one say after something like this. There wasn't time to say anything before he shot from the bed to the bathroom and began to free the contents of his stomach. She waited for a while, not knowing what to do. It had been about 45 minutes before she decided to get dressed and come back in the morning.

"Uh…I…I'm gonna go, I will come back in the morning." She said leaning up to the bathroom door and calling to him.

She took the grunt as an okay and snuck out the door and began her walk of shame back to her room. It was late or early depending…5:30 a.m. the normally hot humid air was cool against her skin and she shook from her chill for a moment. There were a couple of people still up but for the most part the normally buzzing pool area was quiet.

In the silence of the moment with the cool spray of the ocean on her skin, Rory felt for the first time in her life, truly unintelligent and a little more familiar of a feeling scared. She wanted to scream, or cry she could believe that this would be the way she was going to remember her first time. Of all the ways that she thought that she might have lost her virginity this was never on the list. There were thoughts with Dean and there were times that she almost went too far with Jess, but she never imagined that she would be one of those girls that would have sex with someone she barely knew.

She felt lonely, lost and scared, she picked up the phone, most girls wouldn't be in this situation and immediately think that they want to talk to their mother, but she had promised Lorelai a long time ago that she would tell her when it happened. And right now she needed to talk to her mother; she was the one who knew what to do in situations like this.

Lorelai looked at the clock as the phones ring tore through the dark. It was 5:30 am and her daughter was not at home, she was in Florida on spring break. Her heart sank as she picked up the phone and she instantly breathed a sigh of relief when her daughter's voice came on the other end of the line.

"Mom." Rorys voice came on the other end of the line. It was meek and mild.

"Honey whats wrong it's…" Lorelai stopped to look at the clock. "Five a.m."

"I did something stupid mom." Rory said.

Lorelai's head ran through the list of stupid things that she could have done. On her list it could have been anything from not returning her library books before she left to getting a tattoo. You never knew with Rory. She could tell that this wasn't a little mistake though.

"What, are you ok? Is Paris all right?"

"I am ok mom. But…" She said and stopped. Lorelai had little patience for her stammering at this early hour and she snapped at her.

"Rory what did you do?"

"Mom, I had sex…I had sex, and I…I…" Lorelai could tell she was on her way to melt down mode, heck Lorelai was already most of the way there. She had to keep breathing; she had to keep her head. Lorelai had told her she could tell her these things in fact she demanded it. And it was good that she was telling her, but at the same time that she was so happy for thier bond being close enough to talk about things like this. She wanted to cry and scream and be very angry with her, all the things she told her I wouldn't be as long as she was honest with her.

Lorelai took a deep breath and asked the questions that she needed to ask her in order to not go into her panic.

"Were you safe?" Was her first question.

"Yes." Rory said sniffing.

"Who was it?"

"His name is Sean. I just met him I don't even know his last name, I don't know where he is from, I don't even know how old he is."

She was spinning.

"Hang on Rory. He didn't force you did he?" She had to know.

"No." She said, the tone of her voice told Lorelai everything, she knew what she was doing but did it anyway, and now she was hurt and ashamed and mad at herself.

"Mom." She could tell she was waiting for her to tell her something anything.

"Are you going to see him again."

"I dunno, he was sick so I left, and I plan on going back there in the morning and seeing him again, that is what I told him." She said starting to snaffle again.

"Okay, so you might see him again…Rory hon, I am not sure you should…" Lorelai decided to abandon her cool mom rep for a moment and lay down the law. " Listen I think it is time to come home." She said in my best I am your mother do as I say voice.

"I know, Paris is already calling the airline."

That was the way it was with Rory Lorelai never had to punish her, she did a great job of that herself.

The girls found a flight for later that afternoon. Before they left Rory went to see if she could find Sean and get at least a phone number a last name anything to make her feel a little better about the whole situation.

She went to his room, he wasn't there, she walked around the pool and he wasn't there either, she spent about and hour looking for him but to no avail. He would forever be just Sean, the guy she slept with on spring break of 2003.

When their flight landed Lorelai was waiting at the gate. She didn't know what to say to her only daughter, she didn't know that there was anything to say. What was done was done there was no going back.

Rory saw her mother and ran to her almost knocking her down in her strong embrace. Lorelai felt tears in her eyes, she was still so much her little girl it was hard for her to think that she was also grown up and making her own decisions and mistakes.

Rory spent the next three days at home with her mother, they didn't really talk about what had happened. Not until the last night that she was there when Rory initiated the conversation.

"I am sorry," Rory said out of no where.

"What?" Lorelai said. "Did you eat the last of the Malomars or something?"

"No, I mean I am sorry about what I did. I am sorry I didn't talk to you first I am sorry, I made such a huge mistake."

"Honey." Lorelai said taking in a breath. "As much as I hate to admit it, you aren't going to be able to call and discuss every decision you make with mommy before you make it. I am sorry that you ended up hurt and I am sorry it was not the way either of us planned this to happen for you, but it did happen and you just have to go on from there. I am not mad at you, you are 19 years old Rory, I am just glad you made it this far. I was 15 when I made my first stupid decision, so you at least have four years on me."

There really wasn't any thing Rory could say to that. Her mother really understood what had happened, she had been there before and she didn't forget it. As much as Rory wanted her to be mad at her, she knew that Lorelai would never be mad at her as long as she was honest with her.

Rory had gone back to school and had managed to almost to forget about the whole thing. Until about two months later, she hadn't thought a thing of it at first. She was a little more tired than usual, but she had been busy with school. She hadn't been feeling well but there were a bunch of students with the flu. It wasn't until a week of sickness had passed that Janet her roommate said something to her that made her think.

Rory walked out of their bathroom after she had gone 9 rounds with the toilet. She looked like hell and felt worse.

"This is like the 6th day in a row, you aren't pregnant are you?" She said with a laugh, to her it was an absurd thought, Rory pregnant.

Rory however…panicked. She drove immediately to the drug store, and then to Stars Hollow fighting her tears all the way. She called her mother on her cell phone as she got into town.

"Mom. I need you to meet me at the house." She said.

"What? Are you there?" Lorelai said putting her mug down on the counter at Lukes.

"Yes, I am here. Mom, now I need you now." Rory said crying.

"Ok, I'll be right there." Lorelai didn't know what was going on but she knew that her daughter wouldn't just cut class to have a chit chat with her mother, and she definitely wouldn't be that upset about it.

Lorelai pulled into the drive and found her daughter sitting on the porch with her head in her hands cry.

"Honey whats wrong?" She said sitting by her daughter and wrapping her arm around her.

"I have to take a test." Rory said.

"Okay, what you didn't study for it or…" Lorelai started…she stopped cold as Rory held up a small brown paper bag.

"We aren't talking about a school test are we?" Lorelai said trying to stay calm.

"No." Rory said.

Lorelai didn't know what to say, she never thought that she would ever been in this place. She never thought Rory could ever be telling her that she thought she might be pregnant. Pregnant and nineteen. Lorelai was suddenly thrown into the place of her parents, all those years ago. She however refused to alienate her daughter, the only thing to do was to find out.

"Okay, well the sooner the better." She said helping Rory up.

"Mom." Rory started with tears in her eyes.

"I know." Lorelai said, and she really did, she knew all the feeling that her daughter was feeling right now, and she wished that she could take them all away and make them all better.

They sat on the edge of the tub in silence, the 3 minutes they had to wait seemed like an eternity, Rory had read and re-read the directions a thousand times before actually taking the test and now it was time to find out the results, and find out the path that her life would be taking.

Rory looked down at the stick and her hands shook. She looked up at her mother and Lorelai knew before she said a word that at 35 she was going to be a grandma.

"What am I going to do?" Rory said stinking to the floor tears welling up in her eyes.

"I don't know kid. This is your decision." Lorelai said still taken back by the shock of it all. "I can't believe that you are pregnant, my baby girl is pregnant!" Lorelai said almost surprising herself by her reaction.

"I'm so sorry mom."

"You can't be sorry Rory this isn't something that sorry is going to fix."

"I didn't mean for this to happen, we were safe. I mean."

"Those things are only so effective and God knows how drunk you were. I am going to be a grandma and my daughter doesn't even know the fathers last name." Lorelai said.

Rory was shocked by her mothers' words it wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Mom, I am so sorry." Rory said bawling and reaching for her mother.

It was the first time Lorelai didn't really feel like reaching back. She was so disappointed in her daughter, so shocked, so bewildered by it all.

"I am going to need a minute Rory." Lorelai said walking out of the room.

Lorelai walked out of the bathroom and down the hall to her bed room. She couldn't believe that her baby girl was going to have a baby, she sat on her bed looking at a picture of she and Rory on Rory's first birthday. Lorelai was only 17 in that picture. She felt like she had failed that little girl in the picture, was she wrong being so close to her daughter? Should she have established a harsher line between them? Did Rory not listen to her warnings because she didn't take her seriously? She was a mother at 16 and was going to be a grandmother at 36 she couldn't believe it. She let all her doubts fill her mind and just as she was reaching the height of her sadness Rory walked into her room.

"Mom." She said her voice was low and scared. "Mom, I am scared."

Lorelais heart melted. As much as she wanted to be angry with her daughter she knew she couldn't just let her be scared and alone.

"Come in." Lorelai said.

Rory crawled up onto the bed with her mother and sank into her loving arms. Lorelai squeezed her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"I love you Rory. I am sorry I got angry, I just never thought…"

"Me either." Rory said.

"So we are having a baby." Lorelai said.

"Yeah."

"It is going to be okay Rory, we are going to do this…together." Lorelai said. She brushed back Rorys hair as they lay on her bed, she looked again at the photo of them on her bedside table, her baby was having a baby.


	2. Chapter Two:Start Spreading the News

Disclaimer: I don't own them, neither do you so there!

Chapter 2: Start Spreading The News

Rory took off school the next day and Lorelai took her to the doctor that Sookie had been going to. This was the first step in nine months of change. The first step was another pregnancy test, which also came back positive. A few other tests, a prescription for prenatal vitamins and they were through, possessing a piece of knowledge they both were curious about. The new baby Gilmore would arrive in late November.

The drive home was quite and thoughtful for both of them. Rory was the first to break the silence.

"So we are going to have to tell people." Rory said.

"Only when you are ready." Lorelai said.

"I don't want anyone to just find out accidentally." Rory said.

"That is true."

"We have to tell them." Rory said.

"I know."

"I don't know how, I can't disappoint them like this." Rory said.

"I'll be there with you, they are used to disappointment from me." Lorelai said.

"I want to tell them on Friday."

"Tomorrow?"

"I don't want to hide it, I want to get it out there and let everyone know. I don't want to hide from it."

"People are going to talk hon." Lorelai said.

"I know."

"They are going to say things, and some of them, a lot of them aren't going to be nice." Lorelai said.

"I know."

"Honey, I have been there and I am not sure that you want to just come out and shout from the roof tops that you are pregnant, you are going to be bombarded with questions and you won't have the answers that they want to hear."

"What, I have thought about it. Who is the father, I am going to stick to no one that you know and we aren't together anymore."

"That will work for about ten minutes."

"What do you mean?"

"No one is going to take that answer for what it is. Especially not your grandmother."

"I think it will."

"Ok Rory, how about this. So will he be there for the birth?"

"No."

"Uh huh, will the baby have his last name."

"No, it will be a Gilmore."

"Will you receive child support?"

"I let him off the hook."

"Rory honey, this is never going to work people will pry, they will ask those hard questions, they will find out, eventually that your baby will be a Gilmore mostly because you don't know what other name to put down. When people ask if it looks like it's father, you won't be able to say. They are going to find out that you are not their little innocent girl anymore, you are going to have to just be okay with that." Lorelai barked at her daughter.

Rory sat stunned, she couldn't believe how painfully truthful her mother was being. Each word stung a little more than the first.

"So what am I going to do, just tell them, hey I went to Ft. Lauderdale for spring break and I got knocked up by a near stranger, oh and to add to that I don't even know his name?"

"Well."

"I can't tell them that."

"It is the truth honey, I didn't raise you to be a liar."

"You also didn't raise me to be pregnant at 19, but I am."

Rorys point was made but, so was her mothers. She didn't know what to do Lorelai knew what had to be done, neither one of them wanted to do it. They both knew they had to.

The next day was Friday, Rory went back to classes and Lorelai went about trying to figure out the least painful way to tell her parents that the last hope of the Gilmore clan, was pregnant.

Lorelai paced in the driveway waiting for her daughter to arrive. She was terrified for the two of them, she could feel the cold shoulder coming on, she was positive that it was about to be a repeat of 19 years before and all the things that they had worked so hard to put behind them were about to blow back up again.

Rory pulled up in the drive and marched up to her mother with more determination than Lorelai had ever seen her muster.

"I am going in there, I am telling them. I am handling any reaction, I am answering all the questions, this is my thing, I don't need you to throw yourself infront to protect me."

"I don't think you know what you are saying Rory, you are going to need back up in there."

"Back up is fine, I don't need my mommy to make it all better or to defend me at every turn, I need to do this on my own, and I can't keep expecting you to cover me all the time."

"Ok." Lorelai recognized this phase. It hit her right before she told her parents as well, it was the first inklings of her fierce maternal instincts, she needed to protect her child, and she had to start immediately.

They were greeted at the door by the maid ushered into the sitting room offered drinks and began the mindless small talk with the grandparents. They hit every subject from the Inn to Rorys School and then Rory just decided to go for it.

"Grandma, Grandpa I have something to tell you." Rory said.

"Did you make the Deans list?" Richard said practically drooling.

"No, well, I mean yes, I did but…no. That isn't my news this is bigger than that." Rory said flustered.

"Bigger than making the Deans list?" Emily said.

"I think so yeah."

Lorelai squeezed her daughters' hand. Rory glanced her way with a look that told her she was ok.

"Well get on with it." Richard said pleased.

"Ok, well first of all, I want you to know that this was all my doing and I am not asking you for any help with it. This is my thing."

"Okay." Emily said.

"Grandma, Grandpa, when I was on spring break two months ago, I met someone, and he and I hit it off and we had a lot of fun and we talked and I admit we had a few drinks and things went a little further than I would normally go."

"What are you getting at Rory?" Richard said his brow was furrowed and his tone was annoyed.

"Grandma, Grandpa, in November, you are going to meet for the first time, your great grandchild."

Lorelai cocked her eyebrow at the way Rory decided to phrase it. She guessed she must have decided cute was going to be her best survival skill.

"Lorelai is she trying to tell us that she is pregnant?" Emily said.

"Yes, mom that is what she is saying."

Emily stood up tears welling in her eyes. Richard was silent and couldn't keep eye contact.

"It is going to be fine, I am going to finish up classes this month, and I will live with mom all summer and prepare, and then the baby will be here around winter break and I will be home with her or him then. I am not sure what will happen second semester, but I know I will figure it out, worse come to worse I take it off and go back in the fall."

"You can't just take off from Yale and go back when you feel." Richard yelled. "What on earth were you thinking! Rory you are smarter than this!"

"You are right, I am, I made a mistake and it is a big one."

"What about this boy, is he taking some sort of responsibility?" Emily yelled.

"No, he isn't, I mean he doesn't know." Rory said.

"He dosen't know! Lorelai honestly not only is your daughter pregnant but she isn't telling the father either!" Emily said.

"This isn't her thing Grandma, and I don't know his last name, I don't know where he is from and I don't know anything about him, other than, he and I made a mistake and…."

"And in 7 more months, she is naming it." Lorelai said trying to lighten the mood.

"Now is not the time for your jokes Lorelai. Rory I have never been more disappointed in you. You have throw everything away, just like your mother."

"Hey!" Lorelai said.

"I haven't thrown anything away. I made a mistake and I have to live with the consequences, this doesn't change my goals or what I hope to do."

"Your mothers' goals didn't change either but she never went to Sarah Lawrence now did she? She never did all the things that she said she was going to do, she has a GED, a degree from a junior college."

"No mom, I didn't but I have Rory and I wouldn't change a thing." Lorelai said.

"Mom and I had a fine life, and maybe I won't end up graduating from Yale, but I am not the only person I have to think about now." Rory said defending herself and her mother.

"You are going to finish at Yale, we will figure it out." Lorelai said. "She is going to finish Yale, there is a big difference between her and me, she has me, and I had no one, so she is already one step up." Lorelai said raising her voice.

"I don't know what else to say." Richard said. "I…I thought that you would be different. I thought you would never go down such an unpleasant path, I expected more."

Rory watched as her grandfather walked out of the room. "I haven't thrown anything away. I made a mistake and I have to live with the consequences, this doesn't change my goals or what I hope to do."

"Grandma?"

"I just don't know Rory, I don't know what you want me to say, you can't expect for everything to be fine can you? You aren't that unintelligent are you? You made a horrific mistake, one that will be with you for the rest of your life."

"You know what grandma, when you meet your great grandchild, please refrain from calling it a horrific mistake, it will make me feel better." Rory said gathering her things and walking to the door.

Lorelai sat for a moment shocked at how much her daughter was acting…well like her. It was like looking into a mirror.

"This is all your fault you know." Emily said as Lorelai stood.

"I was sure it would be."

"You didn't discipline her enough you are too much like her girlfriend how could you ever expect her to not turn out just like you. I shouldn't have let you keep her, I should have demanded to keep her, demanded custody, I would have won too."

"Whoa pull back mom, you are way out of line. You think I am thrilled that my nineteen year old daughter is pregnant? It isn't really my idea of a good time either and if you think that somehow, you raising her would have changed that think about your history, I got pregnant at sixteen didn't I? What makes you think you would have done any better with her? The way I see it I did three years better than you did." Lorelai said gathering her things to leave.

"I…" Emily started.

"Mom, just take a while and cool off, we will call you." Lorelai said walking out the front door.

She found Rory leaning against the Jeep.

"Why did I think that I could do this?" Rory said as she turned to her mother with tears in her eyes.

"Because, you still see the world through rose colored glasses and you may never understand that your grandmother is the axis of evil all to herself."

"Mom." Rory said not amused at her mothers joke.

"They will come around, they kind of have to. I mean like it or not, there is going to be another little Gilmore girl or, a first…a Gilmore boy…and they can't stay mad at that." Lorelai said.

"I, I am going to be a mom." Rory said.

"Yes, you are, and from what I saw in there, you are going to be a damn good one, and with me in your corner, this kid is going to be…just fine."


	3. Chapter Three: The Year to Come

Disclaimer: I don't own them still, and I probably never will.

**Chapter 3: The Year to Come**

Three Fridays had past and they had not heard from the elder Gilmores. Rory hadn't gotten up the nerve to tell anyone else but it was becoming harder and harder to hide the fact that her belly was growing. She knew she had to tell Paris, she would be more than a little upset to not find out until a very pregnant Rory walked into their room the next semester. She chose the very last day they were in the room to tell her, that way she could leave and Paris would have three months to get used to the idea before they saw each other again.

"So, Paris, about next year."

"Yeah I am glad that it will be just you and I in our room next year, living with Tana this year was like living with an infant and man Janet and her getting up at 5 a.m. to run, who needs that? I am glad it will be just you and me, I mean you are practically non existent, no noise, no waking up early, no infantile remarks."

"Yeah, hey speaking of infantile I have something to tell you. I mean you like actual babies right? I mean I know you don't like adults that act like children but, you like actual children right?"

"At a distance they are fine I suppose."

"What about if they were say family or a close friends child, would you like them up close then?"

"I don't have any family that might reproduce and you are my only close friend so I am not sure why you are…" Paris looked up at Rory. "That isn't the freshman fifteen hanging around your middle is it?"

"No."

"You are?"

"I'm pregnant." Rory said.

"Oh my God." Paris said.

"Yeah."

"Who?" Paris asked.

"Sean."

"Sean?"

"The guy from Spring break…remember?"

"You mean he, you…on your first time?"

"First time is a charm I suppose."

"What, what are you going to do?" Paris asked.

"I am going to take summer classes, and get ahead as much as I can, and go through November when the baby is due, right thankfully around Winter break. And then…"

"You can't live in our building with the baby, it is against the building rules, they have other housing for parents. They are going to shove me in with some weirdo transfer student." Paris said paniced.

"Wait, no, I mean, what if you and I applied for the parent housing?"

"It is too late Rory…those things fill up months in advance. Plus I don't think they will buy that I am your babies' father. Can't you leave the baby with your mom and just go see it on the weekends?" Paris said seriously.

"Paris!"

"I am sorry Rory, I don't know what to do, or how to help here. You didn't plan this very well."

"I didn't plan this at all Paris! You think I would plan something like this now! I am not ready for this! I am supposed to graduate from Yale and go travel the world, be a foreign correspondent; I can't do any of that with a baby strapped to my back. I have to scale back every dream I ever had! I have to change every list I have ever made! I am no longer Rory Gilmore prodigal daughter, great white hope of the Gilmore clan, list maker and perfect grandchild. I am now Rory Gilmore, soon to be teen mom and Yale drop out."

"Hey you are spinning, stop sit down. You shouldn't get so worked up in your condition. Listen Rory, I have never been so good at the whole supportive friend thing, it is just not my bag. Listen, I know that you didn't plan this, but uh, oh hell Rory I don't know what to say. You might have to scale back and be a local reporter and maybe you graduate Yale late, but you are going to finish. And you won't be a teen mom Rory by the time the baby is born you are going to be 20."

"I didn't mean for it to be like this." Rory said starting to cry. Paris pulled Rory to her should her and hugged her.

"You can't plan every moment of your life." Paris said.

"It is so messed up, my mom is acting like she is okay but I know she is mad and disappointed, and I have never disappointed her, and my grandparents, they are half way to disowning me, if they haven't already. Oh, my God, my dad, I haven't even told Chris…"

"You will tell him in time." Paris said.

"Are you mad at me?" Rory said.

"Nah, I really wanted to live off campus next semester anyway." Paris said.

"What?"

"We should probably start looking now, all the places close to campus fill up quick, but I am sure my dad can pull some strings."

"You would do that?" Rory said surprised by her friends reaction.

"I can't risk getting stuck with a second semester transfer." Paris said.

"You realize I will want my child to live with me, and if you live with me you will be living with it too."

"I figured you didn't like the leave it with your mom all week idea."

"Yeah."

Just then the mail fell through the slot.

"Awe, our last mail." Paris said. "I better have something from a newspaper in here, I wanted to have a plan by now."

"Yeah I can't believe you haven't heard from any of them yet." Rory said.

"It is my fault, I got the apps in late, I was preoccupied."

"I didn't even bother, I was thinking, I don't know what I was thinking, I was thinking that my mom with the Inn opening and…"

"No one is faulting you Gilmore, you have bigger fish to fry this summer. Oh my goodness."

"What."

"I heard back, from one, the Stars Hollow Gazette, I only applied as a last ditch attempt."

"You applied to the Stars Hollow Gazette? Do employers even count that as a real news paper?"

"I don't know."

"Are you going to take it?"

"I don't know."

"Where are you going to live?"

"I don't know."

"Who wrote Dead Souls?"

"Nikolai Gogol."

"Just checking." Rory said.


	4. Chapter Four: I love Paris in the Summer

**Disclaimer**: I indented no ill will towards the Gilmore Girls, I do not own them.

**Chapter 4: I love Paris in the Summer**

"Grrr." Lorelai said hanging up the phone.

"Problem?" Rory said.

"There is no water pressure in half of the rooms."

"Ahh."

"This is hard, this wasn't supposed to be hard, we were supposed to water the ground and an Inn was supposed to appear."

"I don't think that is how it works mom."

"I know, I know it isn't."

"So uh, are you going to still planning on going to Liz's wedding tonight?"

"Yeah, I mean I told Luke I would go with him."

"You have a date with Luke." Rory said mocking her mother.

"I do not. He asked me to go as friends, it is a theme wedding he knew I would fit in, that is all."

"He likes you." Rory said.

"Can it fatty." Lorelai shot back. Lorelai still wasn't thrilled with the idea of being a grandma, but she couldn't make every day miserable for Rory, so she had begun to keep her true feelings to herself, Rory had enough to deal with, without worrying about her feelings.

"Hey!"

"You started it."

Just then Paris barged through their front door.

"What is wrong with this town?" Paris exclaimed.

"Uh, hi Paris, how are you today?" Lorelai said.

"What is wrong with this town isn't their a single place to rent that isn't a hole in the wall or a coliseum. Why are there no nice smallish apartments for lease?"

"Because the forces of the earth are all against you?" Lorelai said.

"Does she have an off switch?"

"Not that I have found, what is wrong now? I take it you took the internship?" Rory said.

"I had to Rory it is the only one I heard from and as much as I hate the thought of working for Aunt Mae here in the sticks it is better than nothing, I can't do nothing I have never not done anything." Paris said.

"Ok Paris, breath?"

Paris inhaled deeply.

"What is it that you need?" Lorelai asked.

"A place to stay this summer." Paris said annoyed.

"In Stars Hollow?"

"I would rather not fight tourist traffic all summer." Paris barked.

"Well Paris you can crash here if you want." Lorelai said.

"Really?"

Rory shot her mother a look.

"Sure, I mean, uh, we really don't have an extra room unless you count the kitchen because we don't really use it, but, uh you could couch it, or you I think we might have an old mattress from the dorms in the garage…you can sleep on that in Rorys room right Rory?"

"Right." Rory said with a smile as Paris turned back to her.

"Really?"

"Sure why not." Rory said faking her happiness.

"Great, I will go get my things and be back here later this evening."

"Sure, uh there is a key in the frog out front if for some reason we aren't here, help yourself to what is in the fridge and uh, yeah it is good to have you."

"Thanks!" Paris said giving Lorelai an awkward hug.

"Ah, Paris, I always knew you had it in you." Lorelai said with a smile. Rorys tightly wound friend had become like a part of the family over the years, granted more like a part of the family you don't talk about, but Lorelai was glad she was getting more comfortable with them too.

"Huh?"

"Never mind, see you tonight hon."

No sooner had Paris left than Rory cornered her mother.

"What was that?"

"What honey, she needed a place to stay there is enough room in your room for her."

"I know that but, now I have to live with Paris all summer."

"You lived with her all year, and you plan on living with her next year, with your little bundle of joy."

"Exactly."

"Yes Rory exactly. She gave up her spot in student housing to share a two bedroom apartment with you and your baby, child, tiny person who will cry a lot. That was a big thing she did for you, you can at least let her crash on a mattress on your floor for a couple of months. Besides it will be good for you and her she will bond with the baby, you know, feel like a part of it and it will make it easier when the baby comes if she feels like, she was a part of it getting here." Lorelai said.

Her mother had a point as much as she hated to admit it.

"So Paris is staying with us this summer." Rory said.

"Try saying it with a smile next time." Lorelai said walking out of the room.

Later that Day….

Lorelai swept down the stairs in a tizzy, Rory looked up from her book to see her mother riffling through the drawers on the desk in the hall.

"What are you looking for?" Rory asked.

"A clue evidently." Lorelai said.

"What?"

"This isn't a date right?"

"If you say it isn't a date it isn't a date." Rory said.

"Luke and I are friends, just friends."

"Keep telling yourself that maybe one day you will believe it."

"Rory!"

"I am sorry mom, he likes you and you like him, I don't know why you two don't just get it over with."

"Me, and Luke together would change the make up of the time space continuum, there would be panic in the streets, chaos would result, the oceans would take over land, the sky would fall, the world as we know it would be permanently be altered in ways we can't even imagine."

"And why does that have to be a bad thing?" Rory asked her mother.

Lorelai looked up surprised by her daughters comment.

"You know, you might want to lay extra low today."

"I know, I don't want to see him either."

"He should be gone tomorrow I would guess."

"You think he knows I am here?"

"Honey, this is Stars Hollow, he will find out soon enough."

"You think he knows, I am…"

"Honey this is Stars Hollow, he will find out soon enough."

"All right…hon, I am off, I won't be late, why don't you and I plan on going shopping tomorrow?"

"Uh…random much?"

"I just think it might be time to get you some maternity clothes, you are busting at the seems there and I have seen you in those sweats for the past three days, I think it is time to leave the house again, you can't avoid the world forever." Lorelai said, she knew it was going to be hard for Rory to face the towns' people. So far they had just let the news leak and Lorelai wasn't talking to anyone about details. She told anyone who asked to ask Rory, it was her deal. The only person she answered a specific question for was Luke, to think that he thought that Jess was the father…he was ready to find Jess and kill him. He seemed hurt by the news as well, like he let her down as much as Lorelai felt like she had. It was especially hard on Rory that everyone knew that the father was a virtual stranger, she had been hiding out for weeks.

"I will think about it."

"Think hard, because it is happening." Lorelai said leaning over and kissing her daughters forehead and patting her stomach.

"Night Hon."

"Night mom."

Rory watched her mom walk out of the house, she looked phenomenal better than she would look for an 'actual date'. Rory knew that tonight was going to change everything, she could feel it in her bones.

Lorelai sauntered up to Luke and gave him a sly grin.

"Greetings, my lord. Your lady hath arrived to be escorted forthwith." Lorelai said fighting to keep a straight face.

"That's pretty good. I didn't know you spoke Renaissance." Luke replied.

"Oh, yeah. I'm quite fluent in Renaissance. You look nice. I'm lovin' the tie."

"Thanks. You look beautiful." Luke said.

Luke just called her beautiful, she felt like she might faint. What was going on, she thought, so he called me beautiful, I do look pretty damn good. But it meant more to her than that, there was more to her reaction than just a friendly compliment, could she be? Could they? She shook the thought from her head and replied.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend. Shall we?"

"Let's go. " Luke said.

Paris arrived back at the Gilmore house later that evening. Rory had cleared a space for her in her closet and managed to free up a couple of drawers by putting all the clothes that she wouldn't be able to wear for another 6 months in a box and storing.

"There is quite a shindig going on in the town square, why aren't you there?" Paris asked.

"It is too early, I didn't want to take any attention away from Liz."

"Who is Liz?"

"The bride, and Jesses mom coincidently."

"Jess as in your Jess?" Paris asked.

"Yeah."

"So is he here?"

"He is in town yes." Rory said.

"Does he know?"

"I would imagine someone has told him."

"Wow."

"I am just laying low tonight." Rory said.

"Fair enough. You hungry?"

"Starving."

"Want me to go get us something?"

"That would be great."

"What do you want Mama?"

Rory smiled slightly.

After Paris left, Rory decided her mom was right she was looking a mess. She decided to go take a shower and clean up before Paris returned with their food. She had just finished getting dressed into the last pair of clean sweat pants that would accommodate her growing belly and t-shirt that clung to her bump tightly.

She studied her new figure in the mirror, it was a curious thing carrying a child. There were times she felt like the changes were going to make her crazy before the baby even arrived.

"Hey!" Paris called as she re-entered the house.

"Hey, I am in here." Rory called.

"And it is only going to get bigger." Paris said looking at her friend.

"I know, thank God there isn't a man around that has to look at me." Rory said.

"Yeah, good thing there isn't a dad." Paris said mocking her mocking of the situation.

"Yeah, right. God, this sucks, I wish that I knew more about Sean other than his name is Sean, anything else, that he hates broccoli anything!"

"No one likes broccoli, I am sure you can go with that."

"Paris I mean it, this kid isn't going to have a father."

"Not a father as in, this is the man that helped me make you father, but someday I am sure that it will have someone."

"Who is going to want me…I will have a kid, I am like manthrax."

"You are crazy, eat your burger." Paris said.

"Get that away from me, I don't want it." Rory cried.

"Seriously Rory, what is up."

"Lucy, I'm home from the club!" Lorelai called as she walked into the living room.

"We're in here and she is having a fit." Paris called.

"I am not having a fit!"

"She is having a fit." Paris said.

"Okay, hon, what happened." Lorelai asked.

"I don't know what the hell is wrong with her, she went from normal to nutty in 60 seconds." Paris said.

"What?" Lorelai said, her high from earlier in the evening was leaving her quickly.

"No man is going to want a girl with a baby." Rory said.

"Oh." Lorelai said changing gears quickly.

"I mean look, you had me nineteen years ago and you are still single."

"Hey! That has nothing to do with you, it has to do with me. You will understand, and hey there have been guys, you don't even know about all of them, I am no loser my friend." Lorelai said.

"My baby doesn't have a father." Rory said.

"Well hon, we have known this for a while." Lorelai asked sitting.

"I hate that I don't know him." Rory said. "And everyone knows and they all look at me like I am some kind of floozy."

"No one looks at you like you are a floozy, they are just a little intrigued, shocked by it all."

"I don't want them to think of me like that."

"I know hon." Lorelai said rubbing her back.

"I mean, I know that you and I were always fine without dad, but I always thought when I had a kid, it would have a dad that was there for it, and I found the one way for that to be impossible." Rory said.

"This kid will be all right, it is going to have you and me, and Paris."

"I am no man." Paris said looking up from her dinner.

"Yeah but, there won't be a guy around it will have no male influences." Rory said trying to ignore Paris.

"Uh Rory, did you really get your male influences from Chris?"

"Well, he at least called."

"I am sorry honey, but Chris did not shape you."

"Ok, but I had Luke…he was always there." Rorys comment shocked Lorelai a little. She knew that Luke was always there for Rory, she just never heard her talk about him like he was so much a part of her life, it put her evening into a whole new realm.

"And honey he still is, he will be around for you now just like he has always been, in fact…I think he asked me out."

"How do you think he asked you out?" Rory asked through her tears.

"He asked me if I wanted to go to a movie next week."

"Ok, so he asked you out."

"Nah…you think?"

"Yes."

"Luke asked me out?"

"And what did you say?"

"I think I said yes."

"Ahh…that is so cute."

"I am going on a date with Luke."

"It appears that way." Rory said.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah I am fine. I seem to cry at everything these days."

"Ahhh hormones." Lorelai said.

"Yeah it's just great." Rory said.

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**You want more? So do I, you review and I will post, how does that sound? **

**PS I am starting to take votes on if Rorys baby should be a boy or a girl, lemme know what you think.**


	5. Chapter Five: It wasn't my Liver

Disclaimer: I don't own them, and I only borrowed a little from a real episode, so don't sue me. I don't have anything anyway.

Chapter 5: It wasn't my liver

It had been two weeks since Liz's wedding, Lorelai had accompanied Luke to one movie and to one town function. It still felt like he was asking her to these things as friends, he never made a move on her and he didn't seem to be acting any differently. She was figuring on him just being lonely but Lorelai was getting tiered of guessing.

Rory walked up to Lukes as her mother came barreling out.

"Easy there killer." Rory said.

"I think I am dating Luke."

"What? You said that you thought you guys were just being friendly, did he take you behind the curtain and try something dirty?"

"What? No! You are becoming more like me everyday."

"Then what? Why today do you think that you are dating Luke?"

"Because he is giving me a vibe."

"A vibe?"

"Yes a vibe." Lorelai said.

"What kind of vibe?"

"A, hey after this I'd like to see you naked vibe."

Rory covered her ears.

"Uh no there big belly, no more I have innocent ears for you." She said pointing at her belly. "The jig is up."

"Fine, so you think he is giving you a vibe."

"Yes, please come see if you agree." Lorelai said grabbing her daughters arm.

"Is everything okay? " Luke said as they re-entered his diner.

"Yes." Lorelai said leaning on a table and knocking it and everything on it over in a loud mess.

"I'll get the broom." Luke said walking away.

"That was a little weird." Rory said.

"Yeah." Lorelai said.

Luke walked back over to them.

"How are you today Rory? You feeling all right? Have any weird cravings I can whip you up whatever you'd like."

"No weird cravings yet." Rory said.

"You just wait when I was pregnant with you I couldn't get enough peppers. I wanted everything as hot as I could get it."

"Yeah nothing."

"Well let me know if you change your mind."

"I will."

Luke turned to Lorelai.

"So what time should I get there tonight?"

"I think everyone is getting there about 5 to settle in and dinner is at 7." Lorelai said.

"All right I will be there." Luke said as he walked back to attend to other customers.

"So he is coming tonight." Rory said.

"Yes he _is_." Lorelai said.

"Why did you just say it like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I meant that phrase in a completely different context." Rory said chucking.

"Dirty!"

Later that day at the Dragonfly….

"The guest will be here any minute and we still don't have doors." Lorelai said to Rory as she walked into the lobby carrying a flower arrangement.

"Tom is working on it." Rory said.

"Well he needs to work faster, I have never had an aneurysm but I think I might be on the verge of one." Lorelai said holding her head.

"Oh poor mommy." Rory said sitting the vase down winded.

"You should take it a little easier, you have been over doing it today, you are worrying mommy."

"I am pregnant, not dying." Rory said as Dean walked through the front door carrying a door.

They shifted uncomfortably in front of one and other at the comment. It was no secret now that Rory was pregnant but it was Dean, and it was Rory, it was weird.

"Dean, you are a site for sore eyes!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Uh…thanks." Dean said carrying the door into the room it was to be hung in. Rory followed him curiously.

"So how are you?" She asked.

"Good, good, and how are you, are you feeling better, Taylor said you weren't feeling very well last week." Dean said.

"You have to love a small town. It was nothing I am fine, just one of the joys of motherhood no one really talks about." Rory said.

"Yeah." Dean said with an awkward laugh.

"This is kinda weird isn't it."

"A little." He agreed.

"Who would have thought that you would be married and I would be pregnant, and those things would have nothing to do with each other."

"Yeah, right…"Dean said looking at the floor.

"I am sorry I am making you uncomfortable."

"No, it isn't that, I mean, you are right this is just…yeah it is a little odd." Dean said.

"Rory!" Lorelai called from the kitchen.

"I have to go." Rory said.

"Yeah, see you around." Dean said.

"Yeah, see ya."

Rory walked into the kitchen and found Lorelai with her head tilted back, with a towel of ice on her nose and a vase of flowers beside her.

"What happened to you?" Rory asked.

"Luke brought me flowers."

"And socked you in the nose?"

"No, I walked into a door."

Rory laughed.

"I am a moron."

"I think it was you who said that, once your heart is involved it all comes out in moron." Rory mocked.

"I said that?"

"Yeah."

"I never thought I was that cheesy."

"You like Luke mom, it is okay. You are allowed."

"But it's L…" Just as she was about to say his name Luke walked in. "It's loud…in uh…the lobby because of the hammering." Lorelai said.

"What is she talking about?"

"I have no idea." Rory said.

"I came to see if you are all right and I am going to guess that is a no." Luke said taking her hand from the ice back and pulling it off her face and studying it.

"I think you will live." He said.

"Thank you Dr. Dinerman." Lorelai said.

"I just mean I don't think it is broken, I think it just hurts."

"Uh yeah, just a little." Lorelai said.

"I am going to make sure that everyone is settling in." Rory said to her mother.

"Ok hon, I will be there to help in a minute."

Rory walked behind Luke and made kissy faces at her mother before she walked out. Lorelai stuck her tongue out at her daughter.

"She seems to be in better sprits." Luke said.

"I think she is relived that everyone is recovering from the shock of it all, that is everyone save two."

"You're parents still freaked." Luke said.

"Yeah. I didn't expect them to bounce back very quickly, but I really didn't expect this."

"It is too bad, they are missing a big time in you guys life." Luke said.

"Yeah, it is so weird to watch her getting big and you know reading all those parenting books, and planning for things. She is going to be a great mom, better than I was." Lorelai said.

"Now, don't sell yourself short." Luke said hugging Lorelai. "You are an amazing mom." He pulled back to look in her eyes, "You are just…amazing."

Lorelai felt her knees weaken and her head spin, this was it, he was going to kiss her. Just then the door to the kitchen flew open and Sookie and Jackson stormed in.

"You were supposed to bring me spinach…this is not spinach." Sookie yelled at Jackson. They didn't even seem to notice Luke and Lorelai shooting away from each other like two kids.

"I should get back to…" Lorelai started.

"Right, you should, tend to your guests." Luke said.

"I will see you later."

"I will be here, well not like here, here, but the Inn here." Luke stammered.

"I understand." Lorelai said.

**Much later that evening…**

"All right, Taylor has his six extra pillows, Miss Patty has her extra pillow mints, and Andrews girlfriend seems to have calmed down and agreed to stay." Lorelai said taking a seat on the front porch with Sookie, Michel and Rory.

"We did it!" Sookie said.

"They loved us." Michel said.

"They sure did." Lorelai said.

Michel popped the cork on a bottle of champagne and poured all but Rory a glass. Lorelai raised her glass and looked at the three people before her.

"To the Dragonfly, may her walls hold the many happy memories of tonight and many more to come." Lorelai said with a tear in her eye.

"To the Dragonfly!" They all said as they clinked their glasses together.

"Congratulations you guys." Luke said walking out the front door.

"Oh, Luke, we thought everyone was in bed." Lorelai said.

"I am sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." Luke said.

"You aren't interrupting." Lorelai said.

"Yeah, mom I am beat, I am going to bed." Rory said.

"Ok, I will be up in minute sweets." Lorelai said kissing her daughter goodnight and giving her a loving pat on the tummy.

"Yeah, I should be turning in too." Sookie said.

"Night Sook." Lorelai said.

"Good night partner." Sookie said walking inside.

"Well, I am not going to bed, but I am going to go check on Paw Paw and Chin Chin." Michel said.

"Good night Michel." Lorelai said.

"I sure know how to kill a party." Luke said sitting down with Lorelai on the bench.

"Ah, I don't mind, this is kind of nice." Lorelai said scooting just a little closer to Luke.

"Yeah it is." Luke said nervously putting his arm around her.

"So uh, Luke…" Lorelai said turning to him, before she had a chance to finish his lips were on hers.

Her mind was a flood of mush, her whole body felt instantly weightless and every care in her world was gone. She had imagined how this might be and her every expectation was shattered; she never imagined that a simple kiss could hold so much.

They pulled apart and Lorelai looked into his eyes. They both laughed nervously.

"Took you long enough." She said.

"I had to try every other way to shut you up first, that is definitely the most effective way yet." Luke said smiling.

"Shut me up again." She said.

This time he leaned in slowly at first barely touching his lips to hers before slowly kissing her deeper. Minutes passed like seconds and soon they broke their embrace to the sound of Rory calling to her mother from the lobby.

"Mom…" Rory said trying to yell, yet whisper at the same time.

"Out here." Lorelai called to her daughter.

Rory walked timidly onto the front porch smiling and holding her stomach.

"It moved." Rory said.

"The baby?" Lorelai said jumping from her seat and putting her ear to Rorys stomach.

"No, my liver, yes the baby."

"Whoa there she goes again."

"I still don't know why you are so sure about that." Rory said.

"A mother knows." Lorelai responded.

"So it's moving?" Luke asked moving to the women.

"Yeah feel." Lorelai said grabbing his hand.

He pulled it back and looked up at Rory.

"Go ahead." Rory said nodding to him.

"That is just weird." Luke said laying his hand on Rorys stomach. Lorelai let her hand linger on his as the three of them shared this moment.

"Good things are coming for us." Lorelai said hugging her daughter.

"I think so too." Rory said.

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**Thanks for all your reviews, you keep reviewing and I will keep posting. Thanks to Heather for encouraging this fiction along! **


	6. Chapter Six: Pink or Blue! Pink or Blue!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 6: PINK OR BLUE! PINK OR BLUE!**

The test run went off with out a hitch, unless you counted Kirks night terrors that woke up the whole Inn. The grand opening would be one week later. A nervous Lorelai spent the next day getting the final touches for the Inn finished and trying to figure out what last night with Luke had meant to her. She felt like this was too right to screw up, but feared he may not feel the same. She worried about the timing with Rory pregnant and home and really needing her mother right now, and the opening of the Inn, if she had the kind of time he would require of her, should they become more of an item.

She decided the only thing to do was call him and clear the air, find out what was on his mind.

"Luke's." Luke said picking up the phone in the Diner.

"Hey." She said trying to keep it cool and casual.

"Hello?" Luke said over the noise in the diner.

"It's me." Lorelai said louder drawing her staffs attention to her. She decided to find someplace more private to have this conversation.

"Oh, hi." Luke said surprised.

"Can we talk?" Lorelai asked, as soon as it came out she knew it was the worst way to start the conversation, nothing good between two people has ever come after the words, can we talk.

"Well, we're kind of busy." Luke said passing a plate to a customer and trying not to kill anyone with the cord.

"I just wanted to talk." Lorelai said trying to get his attention to her.

"Talk about what?" Luke said.

"What?" Lorelai could barely hear him.

"Talk about what?" Luke repeated annoyed not with her, but with his inability to hear her, or she him.

"Could you find a quieter place?" Lorelai asked.

"Like where?" Luke said.

"I dunno, the store room." She said as she locked her self into the front closet.

Luke sat down on a box in the store room and closed the door.

"Better?" Luke asked.

" I'm good. " She replied.

"I'm good, too."

"Good!" She realized then that she hadn't quit smiling since he answered.

"So...you wanted to talk." He asked.

"Yeah. I just realized that, uh, you know, when you went to bed last night, I was, um, a little distracted. You know with the baby moving and all." Lorelai said.

"Hey, no big deal." Luke said.

" Uh, no, no, it really was a big deal. I just, um – " Lorelai started.

"Seriously, you don't need to – " Luke didn't like where he thought the conversation was going.

"We kissed. You and me, we kissed?" Lorelai said grinning from ear to ear.

"I remember."

"And it was...unexpected."

"Lorelai, relax. I'm fine if you want to just forget it ever happened, really."

"No, I don't want to forget it ever happened. It was a great kiss."

"Yeah?"

"If one of us had been a frog, it would have had some seriously impressive consequences." Lorelai said.

"Okay."

"So, what do you think?" Lorelai said.

"I think I'm really relieved you feel that way."

"So you concur?"

"Dear God, yes."

"Good. So, then, I guess we'll discuss this later." Lorelai said, to hell with timing, she had waited a long time for this.

"Tonight?" He asked, his question caught her off guard.

"Tonight." She agreed.

"Okay. Thanks for the call." Luke replied.

" Well, my pleasure. " Lorelai hung up the phone and couldn't get the thoughts of that kiss out of her head the rest of the day. She walked into the kitchen and found Sookie feeding Davey in his high chair.

"How un fair is it that you just became a mom and I am about to become a grandma?" Lorelai said sitting beside her friend.

"I know it is kind of weird isn't it?" Sookie said.

"Kind of? No, it is alternate universe weird. And there is another thing." Lorelai started.

"What?"

"I am dating Luke." Lorelai said swallowing hard after her comment.

"What?"

"We went to Liz's wedding, and then that movie and the town carnival."

"I thought you said that you thought those were friendly things?"

"I did, until yesterday, last night after you guys went to bed. He and I sat on the front porch and were talking and he kissed me."

"You are sure that he kissed you?"

"Yes Sookie I am sure."

"Does he know he kissed you?"

"Sookie of course he does."

"So you are dating Luke?"

"I think so."

"Have you talked to him?"

"I just got off the phone with him." Lorelai said smiling.

"And…"

"And we are going to go out tonight and I dunno, date."

"Ooooo this is sooo great!" Sookie said squealing.

"Yeah it is."

Lorelai arrived home later that evening to find Paris on the telephone apparently to Kirk.

"So what do you do with all the money from all of these jobs? You live at home, you don't dress extravagantly, you don't own a car, why all the jobs, what are you planning?" Paris asked questions as though she was talking to a mob Don, or politician.

Lorelai wandered into the kitchen and found Rory sitting at the table looking through a box of baby clothes.

"What is going on in there?"

"Paris thinks that Kirk is planning some kind of hostile take over of Stars Hollow." Rory replied as if that was nothing new.

"What are you up to, where did you find these?"

"The hall closet, you know we really should clean that thing out more often, did you know there is a box of stuff that Max gave you in there?" Rory said.

"Yeah…uh…oh look it is your Bananarama jumper." Lorelai said picking up a tiny out fit.

"It is so little."

"Believe me, when it is time for her to come out, you will be glad she is this tiny, in fact, you will wish she was even smaller." Lorelai said.

"Haven't I told you I am not going to have her, she is staying in there, I read all about that whole birth thing, and I decided it isn't for me." Rory said.

"Good luck with that." Lorelai said.

"So I heard from the doctors office today, I go in on Tuesday to get my ultra sound."

"Really!"

"Tuesday ten am, can you be there?"

"Of course I will be there." Lorelai said. "I get to rub your nose in it when they tell you that it is a girl."

"I never said it wasn't a girl, I just didn't understand how you were so sure it was a girl."

"I feel it in my bones."

Paris walked into the room with an annoyed look on her face.

"Phone for you Lorelai. Of course someone has to beep in right when I have Kirk on the ropes, he was about to confess everything, I almost had that story broke wide open."

"Sorry." Lorelai said taking the phone from her annoyed house guest.

"So you had him on the ropes?" Rory said.

"Can it Gilmore." Paris said.

"So I have an ultra sound on Tuesday, I am finding out if this thing growing in me is a Desmond or a Molly."

"It's a girl." Paris said.

"Why do you say that."

"I dunno, I am just guessing I have a fifty/fifty chance of being correct." Paris said.

Lorelai walked back into the room, with a sad expression on her face.

"Liz and TJ were in an accident, and Luke has to go to Maine to help them with the Renaissance Fair booth. He will be gone for a week." Lorelai said.

"Ahh…no Lukes pancakes for a week." Rory said.

"No Luke for a week." Lorelai said.

"You mean? You are going to miss him not just his food."

"He kissed me, the other night at the test run."

"Oh my God! You are dating Luke." Rory said.

"I _am_ dating Luke." Lorelai said letting her mind wander.

"Give it up Kirk I am on to you." Paris said, reviving her conversation from before.

One week past Luke was still not back from Maine on Sunday and when he made his daily call to Lorelai he was the barer of bad news.

"It is going to be another week." He said sounding disappointed.

"No! You said a week you are supposed to be home tomorrow! You said a week."

"I know what I said, Liz and Tj are worse off than I thought they were before, I can't just leave them."

"I know, damn you for being a good brother."

"I will be home in a week."

"Will you bring me a present?"

Luke laughed.

"Yeah, I'll think of something."

Tuesday…

Lorelai left early from work to pick up Rory and drive into Hartford. Today was the day they were going to find out if they were to be buying pink or blue.

"So, did you find out with me?" Rory said.

"You missy, had your legs crossed." Lorelai said. "Too bad you couldn't keep it that way, we wouldn't be in this situation." Lorelai said with a laugh.

"Mom."

"Sorry, sorry, I am starting to warm up to the idea of little Lorelai Gilmore the fourth, I don't mean to be mean, I am just cranky."

"You miss Luke."

"No I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"Maybe."

"You do." Rory said.

Lorelai gave Rory a knowing look and the conversation was dropped. They drove the rest of the way in silence.

"Her name isn't going to be Lorelai, don't you think the world has had enough of us?"

"HA! See I told you it was a girl."

They arrived at the doctors and they let Lorelai into the room once Rory was all settled in.

"I love you in that gown it is very you." Lorelai said mocking the hospital gown Rory was wearing.

"Mom!" Rory said slapping her mothers hand away.

"Hi Rory how are you feeling." The doctor said as she walked in.

"I am good."

"Morning sickness calming down?"

"For the most part."

"Notice any tenderness, any pain anywhere?"

"No not really, my feet hurt more than normal."

"That is to be expected."

"So any complaints?"

"Yes…"Lorelai started.

"Mom." Rory whined.

"She is cranky, do you have anything for cranky?" Lorelai said with a grin.

"No, I am afraid not." Her doctor said with a laugh.

"So are we ready to see this little alien living inside you?"

"There is a alien inside you? Rory you said you were pregnant!"

"Mom behave."

There was a knock at the door and a nurse came in.

"There is a woman out here said she is the great grandmother, she'd like to come in if that was all right."

"What? She must have the wrong room because…" Lorelai started.

"Mom." Rory said.

"Rory?"

"I called grandma, I just left a message, I didn't think that she would come. I just thought that she should know." She was explaining fast and not gaining any ground with her mother.

"And now she is here." Lorelai said, throwing her hands in the air.

"Should I let her in or…" The nurse asked.

"Rory it is your call." Lorelai said annoyed.

"I did invite her. I want to make things good again."

"This is Emily Gilmore, she does not just give things up, I had you 19 years ago and I am still hearing about it."

"Mom."

"Okay if you want her you've got her, just don't say I didn't tell you so."

"Let her in." Rory said to the nurse.

Emily walked into the room.

"Lorelai." She said greeting her daughter.

"Mom."

"Hi Grandma, I am so glad you decided to come." Rory said.

"I was invited wasn't I?"

"Yes, I just didn't know if…"

"Look at you." Emily said examining her granddaughter's stomach.

"Yeah. It is weird isn't it."

"It's beautiful."

"Lets see what it is, shall we?" Lorelai said.

"Is it time?" Emily said. ''

"Yes." The doctor said turning on the monitor.

Rory grabbed Lorelais hand and the doctor rolled the machine on her abdomen.

"It has a good strong heart beat." The doctor said. "There is an arm, and there is the head…" The doctor said pointing.

"Pink or blue, pink or blue!" Lorelai said.

"Rory do you want to know?" The doctor said.

"Yes." Rory said.

"Great grandma? It is you last chance are you sure you want to know?"

"I do." Emily said with a smile.

"It's a girl." The doctor said with a smile.

"My daughter is having a daughter." Lorelai said smiling and laughing and crying all at once. She hugged Rory and looked over at her mother on the other side of the bed and reached out to hold her hand. Much to her surprise Emily took her hand and squeezed it.

"It's a girl." Rory said breathing in deeply.

"It's a girl." The doctor echoed.

"Ten fingers, ten toes?" Lorelai said.

"Everything is there and seems to be running smoothly." The doctor replied.

"Mom." Rory said looking at her mother.

"I know." Lorelai said stroking her daughters hair back.

"Shall I make a print for you?" The doctor asked.

"Can you make a few? I mean one for all of us?" Rory said.

The doctor started the prints and stood up.

"I am going to go check on your blood work and I will be back in a minute."

"So will it be Lorelai the fourth?" Emily said with a smile.

"I don't know." Rory said.

"I am glad you came mom." Lorelai said.

"I am too."

"It is too bad dad could be here."

Emily's gaze darted about.

"Yes, he is away on business. Too bad isn't it. I will show him the picture."

Lorelai knew that something was up.

"Everything checked out Rory, you can get dressed and go." The doctor said poping her head back in. "Don't forget to set up another appointment in three weeks."

"I won't."

"Mom, why don't you and I step outside and give Rory a minuet huh?"

"Very well." Emily said.

No sooner had the door closed behind them than Lorelai started in on her mother.

"Dad isn't away on business is he?"

"Well."

"He doesn't know you are here does he?"

"Well no, he would be furious if he knew, he can't seem to get it through his head that this baby is happening weather we like it or not just like Rory did."

"Exactly mom."

"I know that! Why do you think I am here, I miss Rory I wanted to make sure that everything was going okay, that all the right things were being done."

"They are. I am making sure that she is doing all she should be, she might be having a baby but she is still my baby."

"I know that. It must be getting expensive though, all these doctors visits and all preparation."

"We are fine mom, Chris is helping out."

"Christoper?"

"It is his grandchild too."

"How did he take the news?"

"He threw a parade."

"Lorelai."

"He was shocked mom, like all of us, he wasn't happy but what could he do? He has paid for a couple of appointments and he is giving Rory all of Gigi old things. He is being Chris, helpful but unavailable."

"Well I want to help." Emily said taking out her pocket book.

"No, mom really we have it." Lorelai said.

"You can't have it."

"We have it, we really do, I have it under control."

"You just opened your Inn, you haven't had a steady cash flow in months this has to be hurting you."

"We are fine mom, we always seem to manage."

"I don't want my great grand child to have to manage, now please just take this check and buy her the things she needs." Emily said handing her daughter a check.

"This is for 5,000 dollars mom."

"I know the amount."

"We can't take this." Lorelai said.

"Take what?" Rory said walking out of the room.

"You grandmother is trying to give us a check." Lorelai said.

"Grandma, that isn't necessary, we are doing ok, I am working part time for mom and saving some money and dad is helping a little."

"You need to have a safety net."

"Grandma really."

"Please Rory just take it."

Rory looked at her mother and then again at her grandmother.

"How do I pay it back? I mean dinners are off since I am a disgrace, unless grandpa has changed his mind and since he isn't here I would guess that, that is a big no." Rory said.

"Rory he is still in shock."

"It has been three months, you guys haven't called, you haven't done anything, you only knew about this because I called you. I didn't call you because I wanted your money grandma, I called you because I wanted you here, because I miss you and I wanted to see you and I wanted you to be here when I found out about your great grand daughter, I thought if she was real to you, you might put it all behind you, but you obviously can't, you obviously think that all I wanted you here for was your money and that just isn't true. I guess I should have known, you have known me for 19 years and you are still mad at mom about me." Rory said crying and walking out of the building.

Emily stood there stunned.

"I am sorry mom, she is really emotional right now, you know how it can be." Lorelai said.

"I…"

"She is upset that dad wasn't here, she really misses you guys, and she hates that she disappointed you."

"I didn't come just to give you the money, I know you must need help, she must need help. There are no strings." Emily said dead pan.

"Mom, we are really doing okay."

"Just take it please, if you cash it fine, if you don't fine." Emily said handing her the check.

"Okay, but I am not going to make any promises about cashing it."

"Just take care of her okay?"

"I have been for 19 years I don't know why I would stop now."

"You're father will come around, there is just a lot of emotions left."

"Yeah well why don't you tell him he isn't the only one with feelings around here, and he is killing his only grand daughter and that isn't what she needs right now. It is too late for him to be supportive of me and I have grown accustom and even immune to his disapproval of me, but his grand daughter hasn't and to be honest I really hope she won't have to. Tell him that will you."

"Lorelai."

"I am glad you came mom, but you are a part of a set and one of you without the other just doesn't work Rory needs both of you, talk to your husband will you, for once back me up on this, I have a girl out there who is scared and feels like her own family has turned her back on them, and I know how she feels and I would do anything to stop that, so please, mom, if you love Rory please, get him to at least talk to her."

"I can't make him change his mind."

"No you can't but you can tell him how you feel, you can tell him about today and you can give him this." Lorelai said handing her a sonogram print out.

"Maybe if she is real, he will change his mind, the way he did with Rory." Lorelai said walking away.

Want more? I do too. I'll give you more chapters, only if you review.


	7. Chapter 7: It is a baby not a law firm

**Disclaimer: I own nothing…literally; the repo man was just here.**

**Chapter 7: It's a baby not a law firm**

It was a warm summer day, there was a cool breeze in the air, Rory could smell the scent of fall on it's way. As she walked through the square she noticed a young mom and her two children laying on a blanket in the sun, she was holding her baby as her little boy played with a ball. They looked so happy, the boy would throw the ball and his mother would clap and the baby would laugh, a smile crossed Rory's face.

She had begun to notice mothers and children more and more, as her belly grew. She started thinking about the kind of mother she would be, what her daughter would be like. She was in the middle of her happy thought when Paris ran up to her in a panic.

"School starts in two weeks."

"Yes, it does." Rory said.

"I don't think I am ready."

"What? Paris, you are more ready than anyone ever, you have studied all summer, you worked your butt off, what do you mean?"

"I mean this isn't freshman year Rory, it isn't going to be a cake walk like last year."

"Last year wasn't a cake walk." Rory said defensive.

"Well if you think last year was hard…this year…" Paris said.

"Hey Paris, I think you are just freaking out I am sure that you will do fine."

"I am sure I will, once I start on my new sleep schedule."

"What?"

"I have looked into it. If I sleep after my first two classes for two hours, then go to my next class, have dinner, sleep for four hours, and wake up study for 3 hours and sleep for an additional four hours, it will be most optimal for learning."

"I think you can sleep like a normal human and you will be fine."

"Rory this isn't good you let it happen too."

"Let what happen?"

"You had the summer off and you forgot what it is like, you got lost in the pretty flowers and the sunshine…and you forgot about the all-nighters and the cram sessions and the papers and presentations…you have forgotten what it is like to have zero free time and zero energy." Paris said.

Rory thought about it. Paris had a point; last year wasn't the cake walk she remembered it to be. It was hard and there were times that she thought she would never pass, forget pass, live through the semester.

"I have to go." Rory said.

"We should talk tonight…strategize!" Paris called after her.

"Whatever!" Rory said waving her off and walking away.

She suddenly realized that she was planning her schedule for school, she would go to class at this time, be back at this time. And that would be fine for the first semester. But, you can't schedule a baby. She couldn't plan for the baby getting sick, and making her late or have to stay home that day. She couldn't plan for the baby being up all night and not getting to sleep or study. Yale was hard, it was hard without any distractions, and a baby was a big distraction, and moreover she didn't want to be the kind of mother who was impatient with her child because she needed to do something else like study or go to class. She didn't want to put her child second, and she didn't want to just barely get through Yale. She wanted to be a good mom and be with her daughter more than anything…but she couldn't half ass an education either. She had to choose and since one of the choices was another human being that wasn't going to wait, or go anywhere, she knew what she had to do.

The bell rang as she walked into the diner. Rory sat down at the counter with a shell shocked look on her face. Lane blew past her with a pot of coffee and proceeded to fill five cups and take three orders before flying back behind the counter and stopping in front of Rory.

"Busy?" Rory said as Lane panted in front of her.

"Just a little."

"Where is Luke?"

"He took the morning off."

"Ahhh right, I think my mom kept him out late last night, I didn't even hear her come home."

"About time that those too…"

As if on queue Lanes thought was interrupted by the site of Lorelai standing in the doorway behind her dressed in nothing but a blue flannel shirt. She froze there as everyone including her daughters jaw dropped and the bustle of the diner fell silent, then just as quickly as she made her appearance she darted back up the stairs.

Everyone's eyes focused on Rory.

"I know as much as you do people." Rory said turning back to Lane.

"So she didn't come home last night." Lane said leaning across the counter.

"Apparently not." Rory said taking a drink of her juice.

"Wow. Luke and Lorelai." Lane said.

"Apparently."

"You aren't ok with this?" Lane said.

"What? O yeah, of course I am. I love Luke and he and mom have been on the brink of this for years, I am sorry I am just preoccupied."

"Everything ok?"

"It will be."

"Rory?"

"I don't think I am going back to Yale."

"What?!" Lane yelled.

"Hey keep it down."

"But, you are moving back in a week. You start classes well, soon."

"I know." Rory said letting her eyes fall to the floor.

Lorelai reemerged from behind the curtain this time dressed in her own clothes. She walked out silently looking at all the patrons and trying to ward off the stares. She slipped up to Rory and took her hand.

"Come with mommy we need to talk." She said as she lead Rory from the counter and out the door.

The two began to walk down the street trying to ignore the stares of the towns people, one thing was certain, Ms.Patty was working overtime spreading the news.

"So, uh me and Luke…" Lorelai started.

"Mom, lets not go there, I know that you and Luke are together, and it is fine and I am fine and you are happy, so I am happy, you are happy right?"

"I am happy."

"Okay, then there is nothing left to say."

"Okay hon, you are cranky what is the matter?"

"Mom, I am going to tell you something but I don't want you to freak out."

"Never a good way to start a conversation."

"Mom."

"Ok, kid, what?"

Rory sat her mother down on a bench in the square, turning to look at her.

"Mom, I know, that you and I have planned every moment of my life together but, I made a decision and I don't think that you are going to like it but I made it and it is done."

"Honey…"

"I can't go back to Yale and I am not going to."

"What?" Lorelai said raising her voice.

"Mom…I can't do it. I can't be a good mom and be a good student."

"Rory, you can do it you have been planning this, we have planned out every detail, we have found a day care, we have scheduled your classes, we have made it so that you are home with her every night. And you will come home on the weekends and I will watch her and you will study, we have spent days talking about this, and planning this, I know you are scared honey, I know it seems like it will never happen. I know that it is going to be hard but, you can do it."

"Mom, I don't want to do it. And you know as well as I do that you can't schedule a baby. I mean what if she is sick and I can't study?"

"Then you come home and I will watch her and you will study."

"What if she cries all night and keeps me up?"

"Then you will drink a lot of coffee in the morning."

"No, mom, Yale is hard. I mean it was hard last year it is only going to get harder. I don't want to pawn my daughter off on you every time I need to study, I don't want you to raise her. I want to raise her, I want to raise my child, I want to be the one who wakes up with her in the night and feeds her and changes her and puts her to bed. I want to take her to the doctor if she is sick, and be there for her the way you were there for me."

"Rory…" Lorelai said softly.

"Mom, I love you and I love the life you gave me and I want to give my daughter that same kind of life. I want to be there, I don't want to feel like I am not focusing enough on school when I am with her, or not focusing on her enough when I am at school."

"I see what you mean. So…"

"So…I stay here, with you…I go to night and online classes. I find a job, and I work so that she and I can get out of your hair sooner."

"Oh hon, I want you here, I want you both with me, you have no limit on how long you can stay. I just want you to be sure that this is what you want, that you aren't going to regret this, I mean, you can't just leave Yale to go back whenever you decide."

"I know that. I just…I may regret not graduating from Yale, but…I would regret not being there for my daughter more."

Lorelai swallowed hard her emotions were trying to overcome her but she held them down. She was all at once extremely proud of her daughter for being so grown up and so determined to be a good mother, and sad that she had to give up on a dream she had since she was a little girl.

"So…"

"Yeah." Rory said.

"What about Paris?"

"I will handle her."

"She is going to be furious."

"I think she will be okay, she really is a solitary creature, I will just make her think it was her idea."

"So…" Lorelai said with an excited look in her eye.

"Okay, okay spill…but do me a favor I can connect the dots between going back to Lukes and the incident this morning."

"Fair enough…" Lorelai said as she started to tell Rory all about her night with Luke, the horoscope, and the dinner that lead to the sleep over that she was witness to that morning.

Rory was happy to see her so happy and she wished she could enjoy her mothers giddiness more, but she was concerned for herself. After a life of planning every thing in her life years in advance, she was flying blindly into the next phase.

That night Rory decided that the sooner the better with Paris. She knew that she would be upset and probably scream at her, but she had made up her mind and there was nothing that was going to change it.

"Hey Paris." Rory said knocking on the door to her bedroom as she opened it.

"Yeah come in." She said.

"I need to talk to you." Rory said.

Paris folded a sweater and sat on the bed.

"You aren't going back with me are you?" Paris said.

Rory took in a breath.

"No, I'm not."

"I figured. I can't see you being the pawn my kid off so I can do what I want to kind." Paris said sighing.

"I know…my whole plan has kind of shifted."

"I know."

"I just can't pretend that everything is going to be fine, that nothing is going to change, everything is going to change."

"You are going to have a daughter." Paris said.

"I know, isn't that just odd?"

"I don't know, the timing and the situation are odd, but you having a daughter, I dunno, I don't think that it is that odd."

"Thanks Paris."

"You promise you will go back to school?"

"I promise. You want me to help you find a new roommate?"

"Nah, I could use the time alone. I am sure that someone will find me eventually."

"I see."

"So you are staying here with your mom?"

"Yeah, at least for a while. I have to find a job. I mean working at the Inn is fine but, it is like taking my moms money to pay her…it is a little odd."

"They are looking for a fact checker at the Gazette. I could put in a word for you, it doesn't pay much but it is flexible."

"Hmm…I never really thought about it I guess."

"Should I set it up?"

"Yeah, yeah that would be great." Rory said.

As she lie in bed that night she rested her hands on her stomach and felt her daughters movement. She took a deep breath and let it out looking around at the room that she had lived in almost all of her life. Her mother had filled their house with love and fun and soon she was going to be bringing a brand new Gilmore into this house. She would take her fist steps in this house and say her first words and Rory would be there for all of it. It may not be the plan that she made for herself when she was eight years old laying in that very room, on that very bed, but it was the plan she was making for herself, now as she felt her daughter kicking and turning inside her.

Lorelai knocked on her door and peaked inside.

"Hey you." She said walking in.

"Hey."

"What are you up too?"

"Your granddaughter is practicing her floor routine for the 2020 Olympic gymnastics team."

"Ahhh." Lorelai said sitting beside her and putting her hand on her daughters stomach.

"My goodness she is really going isn't she?"

"Yeah."

"She must be happy."

"Huh?"

"Happy, that you guys are staying her with her grandma, I think she is doing her happy dance."

"That must be it." Rory said.

"Soooo….."

"What?"

"So are we going to keep calling her, her, and she and baby girl? Have you even thought about names?"

"I dunno a little."

"I know you have…that is the best part about having a baby. I still am sad I was in a Demerol daze, you were meant to be Suzanna."

"It is a very tragic tale."

"So?"

"What about Lily?"

"That is nice."

"And I kind of like Spencer."

"You are having a girl honey."

"I know that."

"Spencer Gilmore? You are having a baby not a law firm."

"Okay so scratch that. What about Lorelai? Huh? Huh? It is a good name, it has faired us and Gran all well."

"I dunno four Lorelais?"

"You could spell it different pick one of the many ways people murder our name. Like L-o-r-a-l-i-e."

"I don't think so, what about Lauren?"

"Ehh…I know this chick with that name."

"Lane thinks I should name her Paige, because I like to read it would be ironic."

"Ahh that Lane she is a fun one."

"How about Natalie, Jillian, or Elise?"

"All nice."

"I thought about since dad is being so good about this…and I have your name not his…calling her Hayden."

"Hmmm…like Lorelai Hayden?"

"No no no, like her first name Hayden, Hayden Gilmore."

"Again with the law firm. I don't know hon, this is your decision."

"I will keep thinking."

"Keep me posted, sleep well hon."

"I will."

"Good night hon."

"Good night mom."

"And hon…"

"Yeah mom."

"No matter what you call her, she is a Gilmore and that makes her that much further ahead of the game. And with you as her mom, and me as her grandma…she is going to be unstoppable."

Rory smiled.

"We are going to be all right hon. Everything is going to work out, it always does."

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Please review...and no promises here, but let me know what you think about a name for our little girl...I appriciate the input, and I will consider all suggestions.


	8. Chapter Eight: Celebrations and Reconcil...

**Disclaimer: I STILL OWN NOTHING…DAMN IT. **

**Chapter 8: Celebrations and Reconciliations **

The leaves had started to turn and the days had become shorter. There was the cool breeze letting all know that winter was on its way.

"So how long has that been out like that?"

"I shouldn't have shown you." Rory complained.

"No, no, I mean what does that mean it is done? Like that thing in a turkey? She is ready to be born now?" Lane mocked.

"See if I ever show you my stomach again."

"I am sorry, I just have never seen a belly button do that before."

"Lane!"

"Dropping it."

"So when is your last day at the paper?"

"My doctor says that I am fine to work right on up to a week before the due date, but Mr. Oliver is neurotic and fears me giving birth while at work so this is my last week."

"And he is keeping your position for you for when you get back?"

"Yeah, I will take the first month completely off, and Monica the crazy photographer is going to cover for me."

"Monica…running through the streets with her Nikon yelling at everyone to 'make news' Monica?"

"She really means well, I am sure that she will do fine."

"So you think when you go back they are going to give you that position in layout that you want?"

"No clue, they seem to be looking for someone, but don't seem to be in a hurry to find someone."

Lorelai came bounding up to the girls in glee.

"Hey guys guess what?"

"The fifth dentist caved and now they are all recommending Trident?" Lane said.

"Very funny, but no."

"Well the suspense is killing me"

"No honey those are your ankles."

"Ok you two enough Rory's seven and a half months pregnant and huge jokes."

"Oh honey…"

"Seriously mom…"

"Wow cranky."

"She has been that way all day."

"Hello, human inside me…you'd be cranky too." Rory said gesturing to her stomach.

"Okay, okay…Sookie is pregnant."

"Give her my condolences." Rory said monotone flopping onto the bench.

"Rory."

"I'm sorry, that is great." Rory said with tears in her eyes.

"Oh honey, these mood swings have taken control of you."

"I know." Rory said in a high pitched whine.

"Oh Rory, don't cry." Lorelai said hugging her daughter.

"I want it out!"

"I know honey."

"She is making me crazy…I want to have a conversation without getting emotional and taking everything so personally."

"You will honey, in about a month and a half. Hey, think about this your birthday is coming up…you want to do anything special? Huh? We can take a trip or something…maybe a weekend at a spa?"

"No, I think it would be fine if you and I just laid low."

"As you wish." Lorelai said.

"Come on, lets go to Lukes, between you looking pathetic and me looking cute, I think we can get not only our meal free, but get him to give us half the diner, we can change the name to Two Lorelais and a Luke Diner…"

"Mom…"

"I am just trying to help."

Later at the Dragonfly…

"All right so everyone is invited right?" Lorelai asked.

"I sent out the last of the invites today." Sookie said.

"And the rooms are blocked out that day?"

"Yep, no guests to disturb."

"Cake?"

"Birthday and baby done."

"I talked to her today, she said she doesn't want a party, I told her that was fine…I hope the surprise doesn't send her into labor."

"Now that would be one party mess, I wouldn't want to clean up."

Michel walked carrying the phone.

"For you." He said handing the phone to Lorelai.

"Hello."

"Lorelai, it's your mother."

"Mom?"

"Your father and I received the invitation to Rorys Birthday-baby shower, and I just wanted to RSVP, we will be there, both of us."

"Mom, I…" Lorelai said shooting a look at Sookie.

"Your father has come to terms with this whole thing, he was very disappointed when Rory wrote him to tell him she wasn't going back to Yale and why, but he accepted the gesture as a hand and he is taking it. He has missed her, we have missed her."

"Letter?"

"Yes, about a month or so ago a letter arrived from Rory explaining the new plan she had for her life. She told us how you both were doing and closed with how she missed us…"

"Mom, this is going to be a happy day for her, okay, she hasn't seen dad in almost five and a half months, you have been MIA since the sonogram…"

"I don't put my nose where I am not welcome."

"Mom, you are welcome with us, you just can't push your way, we are both grown, Rory too, she is going to do what she is going to do and not even I can change her mind."

"I am aware."

"She is having the baby and living with me. She has decided to wait on school; I will make sure she goes back. She is happy, she has a job at the local paper, she has her friends, she is doing fine, and she needs nothing from you. She is very fragile right now mom, I don't want you coming and trying to save her and fix all her problems, she doesn't want your money, she just wants to see you guys and not be shut out anymore. So if you can come, come, give her a huge and kiss, tell her you've missed her, eat some cake, and pretend that you never judged her, maybe even bring a small appropriate gift. Do not come in and lord your presence over her, don't make her feel like she doesn't want you there, or that she is sorry for inviting you. She can't take it right now and I won't allow it."

"We will be on our best behavior, I promise. She is our granddaughter Lorelai and despite what you may think we still love her, we never stopped, we were just very disappointed in her. I am sorry that we reacted the way that we did, but…" Lorelai could hear her mother sniff on the other end of the phone.

"Mom…"

"We don't want to lose her the way we lost you. We want to know our great granddaughter."

"See you in two weeks then."

"See you then."

"Hey mom."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry too."

With that they hung up the phone and Lorelai redirected her focus on Sookie.

"Now before you get mad at me…" Sookie said starting to defend herself.

"It's okay Sook…I almost did about 10 times…I just couldn't get the stamp on the envelope."

"Well I signed it, sealed it and it has been delivered."

"So the parents are coming to the party."

"That they are."

……………………….

"Rory! Rory are you home?" Lorelai said rushing into the house. It had been two weeks since the phone call with her mother, and everything was in place at the Inn for the surprise party to end all surprise parties.

"I am in here, what's wrong?"

"Oh hon, catastrophe at the Inn. I…and the thing with the spread sheet, and the checks, and the mad employees…"

"Are you saying you need me to come fix the spread sheet, so that you can finish payroll, and give your employees there checks?"

"Yes."

"Okay, but this is the last time, you need to pay attention this time…I am not going to be here to do this for you forever."

"Cross my heart, come on, come on."

"This is as fast as I waddle."

A few minutes later they pulled up to the Inn.

"Mom, why are all the lights in the Inn off?"

"Uh, the front light burned out, I need to have Julio replace it…we'll go in through the kitchen."

The pair walked through the kitchen and into the dining room. Sookie flipped on the light and everyone yelled.

"Surprise!"

"Oh my God…"Rory said.

"Happy Birthday, baby shower Rory." Lorelai said hugging her daughter.

"Wow, thank you…I…"

Just then Rory noticed her grandparents from across the room.

"Grandma, grandpa!" Rory said rushing over to her grandparents. "I can't believe you came."

"It is your birthday of course we came." Emily said hugging her daughter.

"I received your letter. When you are ready, I will do what I can to help you get back into Yale, if that is what you choose." Richard said.

"Thank you grandpa."

"You look well." He said.

"I will be much better once I get your great granddaughter off of my bladder and into the world."

"When is the big day?" Emily asked.

"Doc says in the next few weeks." Lorelai said walking up to the group.

"November 19th is the day." Rory added.

"November 19th wasn't that your mothers birthday Richard?"

"November 9th was Trixs birthday."

"That's right. I remember now."

"Well come, come, we have a lot of gifts and very little time." Lorelai said.

Rory followed her mother to the head table and took a seat. There were more gifts than Rory could have ever imagined. As she opened them one by one as everyone oooed and awed over them. She was down to the last present when Luke snuck into the room carrying a beautiful hand crafted crib.

Lorelai walked over to him and gave him a quick peck and shooed him over to Rory.

"I think that was the last one." Lane said.

"Wait, wait, there is one more." Luke said walking up behind them.

Rory turned and saw the crib that he was carrying in.

"Oh my God Luke." She said covering her mouth and looking at the crib. "Did you make this?"

"Yeah."

"It's beautiful."

"It wasn't that hard, I saw a picture I carved the wood."

"Luke it is beautiful, thank you so much."

"You're welcome, I mean…yeah you're welcome."

Rory gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you Luke, for always being there for me."

"I always will be." Luke said.

"Can I steal him for a moment Rory?" Lorelai said walking up to them.

"Yeah, sure."

Lorelai took Lukes hand and lead him over to her parents.

"Mom, dad you remember Luke, he owns Lukes diner?"

"Yes, good evening Luke, that is a beautiful crib you crafted."

"Mom, dad, I just wanted to tell you that Luke and I have been dating for about the last…five months or so…so uh yeah, you should know, and meet, and stuff." Lorelai said feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

"Well that is wonderful." Emily said.

"Your daughter is really a great person, and your granddaughter is really something."

"You better take good care of them son." Richard said. Taking everyone by surprise.

"I promise you that sir."

With the gifts opened and the cake eaten, the stories told and the good wishes given, the party started to die down.

Soon it was just the five of them sitting in the study. Richard and Rory were having their first talk in months, swapping stories about what book they just read and Rory was telling him all about her appointments and the names she was considering for her daughter.

Luke had dozed off in the arm chair and Emily and Lorelai were watching Rory and Richard closely as if they were waiting to jump in and referee at any moment.

"He seems better."

"He has missed her."

"I bet." Lorelai said sipping her coffee.

"He's missed you too."

Lorelai snickered.

"He has, it was hard for him at first, for both of us, just like it was with you. He came around with you, he came around with her."

"Yeah." Lorelai said avoiding that argument.

"You will call us when it is time won't you?"

"You will be our first call."

"I am sorry Lorelai. I am sorry that we acted in such a way. We were just shocked."

"No, mom, really, I understand. I actually, know where you were coming from all those years ago, when she told me…I…I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream and yell and tell her what to do, but, I realized, I couldn't. I couldn't be so hypocritical, I mean I had her so young and I have always been so proud of doing it on my own. I am sorry, I was so well, impossible."

"Me too. I mean, I am sorry for that too."

Lorelai smiled at her mother over the top of her mug.

"Well Lorelai, I think that it is time you get this girl home and to bed." Richard said standing up.

"I think so too." Lorelai said standing and putting her arm around her daughter.

"Sleepy." Rory said leaning on her mother.

"Whoa…hey mom, dad, quick, quick…put your hand on her belly, put your hand on her belly."

"What?" They said in unison.

"Your great, grandchild is kicking her little heart out…put your damn hands on your granddaughters belly."

Reluctantly they placed their hands on Rorys middle and felt as the newest edition to their family made her presence known.

"Well, I'll be." Richard said as a smile swept his face.

"New baby Gilmore, meet your great grandparents." Lorelai said and smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming… I need encouragement!


	9. Chapter Nine: Good Things Happen When It...

**Disclaimer:** I am not Amy…I own nothing.

**Chapter Nine:** Good things happen when it snows

Lorelai rushed around the kitchen shoving papers into the brief case she borrowed from Rory.

"Ok so you have everything?"

"I think so."

"Do you have all your paper work, your train ticket, and your itinerary?"

"Check, check, check…"

"OK well you better get gone you are already late."

"I have my phone and my pager so if anything happens you call and page and I will be here as quick as I can."

"Mom I am fine, the baby isn't due for another ten days."

"You never know with these things Rory."

"I will call you should I go into labor a full eleven days before I am supposed to." Rory said rolling her eyes at her mother.

"I wish I didn't have to go."

"Mom you were asked to come by the New England Tourist Board. You have to go this is a great opportunity to get the word out about the Inn, you go make connections, have fun and I will see you on Monday."

"You have a point. Ok hon, I see you Monday, love you." Lorelai said kissing her forehead.

"Bye bye, Zoe." She said as she kissed her daughters stomach.

"Oh, I changed it again…we are back to Olivia."

"You know once she is actually here you can't change her name every day."

"Go!"

"Gone."

After seeing her mother off Rory walked back into her bedroom and surveyed the changes that she had made. Luke and Lorelai had helped her re-arrange the furniture and set up the crib and changing table. She sat in the rocking chair that sat where her arm chair had sat and rocked as she stroked her stomach. It would be any day now and she would be real.

Lane came over that night to sleep over and watch movies, insistent that the need to have a slumber party was not Lorelei's idea. Rory, knew what her mother was up to though and she appreciated it.

"So, we've got, Terms of Endearment…"

"Are you kidding? I would never stop crying…"

"Ok, Waynes World?"

"Ehh…"

"Gili?"

"You are kidding right?"

"I had to know for myself."

"Willy Wonka?"

"That is mom and I's fall back, for emergencies only."

"Are you trying to be impossible?"

"No."

"Ok, last movie…ironic in it's title and a classic…Bringing up Baby."

"Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner."

The girls watched the movie and laughed and talked. It was nice to have a kind of send off to her care free youth days Rory thought.

"So…I mean it is soon…how do you feel?"

"Excited mostly…a little scared, but yeah excited mostly, I just I can't wait to meet her you know. I want to see her, touch her, you know?"

"Yeah." Lane said with a smile.

"I just, there is this whole other life that will be here soon, and no one knows exactly when, but everyone is waiting to meet her, and can't wait to see her and I dunno, I mean I can't wait for her to be real, and I can't wait for my mom to see her, she is so excited, and I can't wait to see what she is like with a baby, you know? It seems so odd. And Lane, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes, I will be her father."

"Lane…"

"Sorry serious face."

"You and I have been best friends forever right?"

"As close as you can come to forever yes."

"I just thought that you might, be…the babies guardian I mean if anything happened to me or mom…"

"Me? Really?"

"Yeah you. I don't know who else I would ask, I mean, it really is a title in theory really. Mom would take the baby if anything happened to me but just incase…"

"Of course I will."

Rory hugged her friend and they turned in for the night.

………………………………………

"Mom I am fine, how is the convention." Rory told her mother on the phone the next morning.

"It is fine I guess, lemme tell you the B&B and Inn business is full of crypt keepers though…I am the youngest one here but 20 years."

"You can't be the only one."

"Uh…yeah I can, the next youngest person just finished telling me all about their grandchild's college graduation."

"You are going to be a grandma soon too you know."

"Yeah we need to find me a better title…I hear Kate Hudsons kid calls Goldie Hawn Glamma…I think I am with her on this one…"

"Uh no. Grandma it is for you, maybe Nana, or something…but not Glamma."

"Well I better go hon, the next seminar starts in ten minutes, I will call you tonight."

"Ok, I think I am going to go to Lukes and grab a breakfast."

"Have fun give him my love."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Rory put on her hat and coat and headed out the door, she walked briskly through town, or at least as briskly as one in her state could. She could smell snow in the air, it used to be something she was sure only her mother could do, but one deep breath and she knew that winters first snow was on its way.

The bell jingled as she walked into the diner and sat down at the counter. Luke smiled and gave a wave to her from across the diner and soon was there to take her order.

"Hey how are you feeling today?"

"A little tired, and my back hurts, but other than that I am fine."

"Well you should go home and lie down for a while after breakfast. What will it be?"

"French Toast a side of hash browns, two eggs and bacon please."

"That is quite the order."

"I am starving."

"Coming right up. Have you heard from your mom?"

"Yeah, she called this morning and told me to give you her love, I am not sure how one does that but that is what she said. She said the convention is kind of boring and that everyone there is really old."

Luke smiled and walked into the kitchen.

Rory spun around on her stool to look out the window and there it was falling softly to the ground, the white wonder that had been the omen of so many good things in both she, and her mothers life.

Luke walked back out of the back room and stopped to see what she was looking at.

"It is the first snow Luke, it's good luck."

"You and your mother…"

"It is good things happen when it snows."

"I will believe it when I see it."

"You will."

Rory finished her breakfast and started out the door for home, she hadn't gotten very far when her stomach began to hurt a bit. She figured that she had simply eaten too much and would be better when she got home to lay down. She walked a few more feet and a pain shot through her abdomen causing her to wince in pain.

"Oh my God." She said out loud to herself. She was closer to Lukes than she was to home so she hurried back towards the diner. Luke met her at the side walk when he saw her walking back towards the Diner with a concerned look on her face.

"Hey Rory are you ok?"

"I think I am in labor."

"Oh, dear God. Okay, well sit down, sit down here and uh, I uh…"

"Keys, hospital…" Rory said as another pain hit her more strongly than the first.

"Right, keys…" Luke said rushing into the back. "Cesar close up, I am leaven'!" Luke said as he rushed back to the front.

"Luke." Rory said with a scared look on her face.

"Come on, come on." He said as he helped her out of the diner.

Once he got her all loaded into the truck, they were off.

"Mom, mom, I want my mom." Rory said through the next pain.

"Right, I am calling her right now." Luke said fumbling with his cell phone.

He listened as her phone rang and rang, but she didn't answer.

"She isn't answering."

"Page her the code 1119."

"What is that?"

"It is supposed to be my due date!" Rory said breathing deeply through another pain.

Luke paged Lorelai as they got onto the Interstate.

It was on a few moments later that his phone was playing the tune to "I want you to want me." Signifying that Lorelai was on the other end, he still didn't know how she made it do that, or how to make it stop, but secretly he kind of liked it.

"Lorelai." Luke said as he picked up the phone.

"Please tell me that was a false alarm." Lorelai said with panic in her voice.

"Mom!" Rory groaned from the passenger seat.

"Oh my God." Lorelai said.

"Listen Lorelai, we are on our way to Hartford now, it is a little slow because of the snow, but we will get there in plenty of time."

"It's snowing?"

"Has been for about an hour or so…listen, be careful getting here, you aren't going to do anyone any good if you show up in a body bag." Luke warned.

"I took the train."

"What?"

"I just realized, I took the train it takes at least two hours sometimes three to get from Boston to Hartford on the train, it makes all those stops."

"Rent a car."

"Right, right I will rent a car which will take more time or…"

"What?"

"I am going to call Chris, she will want him there and he is here and he will drive like a very safe bat out of hell to get me to her. I am calling him."

Luke took a deep breath as much as he didn't like the idea of her driving to the hospital to meet her daughter with her daughters father, he knew she was right, it was her quickest way there and he didn't know what else to do.

"We will see you soon then."Luke said as he hung up the phone.

"You're mother is getting a ride from your father, they will be here as quick as they can okay?"

Rory nodded as she breathed.

"Grandparents." She said as she blew out a breath.

"Right, calling the grandparents."

There were several things that Luke thought about that would be more appealing to him than calling Rory's grandparents at that moment, unfortunately they were no alternative, so he dialed the phone.

"Gilmore residence."

"Mrs. Gilmore this is Luke Danes, your daughters boyfriend."

"Please hold while I fetch Mrs. Gilmore." The voice said.

Luke then realized that he was talking to a maid.

"This is Emily." She said as she came on the line.

"This is Luke Danes, Mrs. Gilmore and I am with Rory and we are on our way to the hospital, apparently the baby is coming now, and Lorelai is on her way from Boston, but I think Rory would really like it if…"

"I will meet you there." Emily said as the phone went silent, he didn't even get a chance to finish the speech he had prepared in his head.

"How are you doing kiddo?" Luke said offering his hand to Rory. She took his hand and squeezed it tight.

"I don't want mom to miss it."

"She won't, she is on her way wild horses couldn't keep her." Luke said reassuring her.

They pulled into the hospital what seemed like an eternity later and Luke helped Rory out of the truck and into the hospital. He walked her up to the counter and said.

"Uh she is having a baby, where do we go?"

The nurse jumped to her feet and walked around the desk to get a wheelchair for Rory and they were off to their room. They were checked in, and shown to a birthing suit that looked more like a bedroom than a delivery room Luke thought.

"Are you the father?" The nurse asked Luke.

"What?"

"The fathers are you the babies' father?"

"No, I am not the father! Do I look sick to you. I am her, uh,…"

Luke was busy trying to decide what he was to Rory when she piped up.

"He is my step father."

"Oh so sorry…" The nurse said looking embarrassed and walking out of the room.

"Sorry, I didn't know what to tell her."

"It's okay."

"I just want you to know that…I love your mom and maybe…"

"Luke, it's okay, you don't have to marry my mom now, you're just, I've always, you are an important man in my life okay." Rory said sucking in another deep breath preparing for the next contraction.

Just then Emily stormed into the room like hell on roller-skates. She rushed up to Rorys side and grabbed her hand.

"How are you doing, do you need anything? Are they being helpful…can I get you anything."

"No grandma, they are great, I am fine, I am just glad you are here."

"Me too, me too…"

"Lorelai is on her way, she should be here soon, I think I will just duck out into the waiting room now, that your grandma is here." Luke said squeezing Rorys hand and starting for the door.

"No, Luke stay please." Rory said squeezing his hand as she breathed through another contraction. Luke studied Emily's face looking for a sign of protest and finding non he agreed to stay.

"Is grandpa coming?" Rory asked.

"He is in Chicago on business, I called him and told him and he is trying to get on a plane right now." Emily said.

"Good." Rory said breathing.

"Today was your great-grandmothers birthday you know." Emily said to Rory.

"I know."

"Wouldn't that be a coincidence having two birthdays on the same day."

"Yeah, it would be." Rory said concentrating again on her breathing.

The phone rang in the room about an hour later. Rorys contractions had gotten more intense and closer together they started the epidural so she wasn't in as much pain, the expected her to start to push within the hour.

"Hello." Luke said picking up the phone in Rorys room.

"Hey Luke, it's me…" Lorelai's voice came on the other end.

"Hey where are you?"

"The roads are pretty bad here, we are going as fast as we can but we are still about 20 miles out and going at snail speed."

"They are saying she will be pushing within the hour." Luke said.

"Is that my mom?" Rory said.

"Yeah."

"I wanna talk to her."

"Hey Lore, Rory wants to talk to you." Luke said.

"Okay, thank you so much for being there with her, you don't know what it means to me."

"Where else would I be?" Luke said as he handed the reciver to Rory.

"Mom." She whimpered into the phone. "Are you going to get here."

"I am trying, your dad is driving as fast as he can, lets just all take a moment to thank him for trading in the bike for the Volvo."

"Hurry mom, I don't want her to get here with out you."

"Well you cross those legs and you think good thoughts ok? I am on my way."

"Okay mommy." Rory said almost to tears, she wanted her mother there more than anything.

"I love you hon, be strong until I get there ok?"

"OK."

As they hung up the phone the doctor came in to check on Rory again.

"How are we doing?"

"I hurt, I want it out." Rory said.

"I know hon, lets just see about doing that for you ok?" The doctor said sitting at Rorys feet and examining her.

"You are making excellent progress, I would say we will be ready to push in the next half hour or so…"

"Thank you doctor." Emily said.

"I don't want to push." Rory said.

"Well dear you are going to have to." Emily said.

"I want mom here, and it will hurt, I don't want to hurt."

"It isn't that bad." Emily said.

"You had mom, 36 years ago, I think you might have forgotten what it is like." Rory said frustrated.

"Fair enough, but you are going to have to push, your daughter wishes to meet us all today and you have to help her do that."

"Mom said it is like doing the splits on a crate of dynamite, it is going to hurt."

"Why on earth would she tell a pregnant girl that?"

"She didn't she tells me that every year since I was little, I never thought I was going to have a baby, I didn't want to know what she was talking about, and now here I am having a baby and I think I know what she is talking about." Rory shouted as another contraction came.

"Impressive shouting." Paris said as she walked into the room.

"You're here!"

"Of course I am here, you picked one hell of a day to do this Gilmore, the roads are awful."

"I know my mom is on her way from Boston, I don't think she will be here in time." Rory said whimpering.

"Buck up Gilmore, she will be here, I have seen your mom, when she needs to get something done, you don't want to stand in her way that is for sure."

Rory smiled through the pain.

Rory put it off as long as she could but one hour later, still with no Lorelai she started to push. Luke ducked out of the room to 'wait for Lorelai', but truth be told he was a little squeamish. Emily and Paris stood by Rorys sides and held her hands as she pushed.

"One, two, three push…" The doctor said as Rory pushed with all her might.

"One, two, three relax…"

"You are doing great." Paris said as she whipped the sweat from Rorys forehead.

"I want my mom." Rory cried again before the next push.

Rory felt like she had been pushing forever when a nurse alerted the doctor to one of the many monitors. The doctor stood up and started getting her bed ready to move.

"Okay Rory, it looks like your daughter is encountering some distress in there and she doesn't want to come out this way so, what we are going to do is wheel you over to the OR and deliver her caesarian ok…" The doctor said calmly.

"What…"Rory said painiced.

"Her heart rate is dropping a little lower than we would like so we are going to go ahead and help her out of there so we can fix that for her ok."

"O…ok." Rory said with fear in her voice.

"Can we come with her?" Emily asked.

"One of you can, the nurse will get you ready." The doctor said as he wheeled Rory out of the room and into the hall way almost running over Lorelai.

"What, wait, where are you taking her." Lorelai said. "Hi honey."

"Mom the baby is in trouble."

"What.." Lorelai said looking at the doctor.

"The baby is experinceing some irregular heart beats, we just want to help her out of there before it gets any worse." The doctor said.

"Can I come with her."

"One of you can. The nurse will get you ready." He said as he wheeled Rory into the next room.

"I will be right there Rory."

Emily walked out of the room dressed in scrubs, to find Lorelai.

"Lorelai you are here where is Chris?"

"Parking the car…give me you outfit there…"

"What?"

"Come on mom, hurry, I need to get in there I am going to be the one in there, give me the damn outfit." Lorelai said panicked.

Emily took off the hair net and gown and handed it to Lorelai and she quickly threw it on. Lorelai turned in a frenzy to join her daughter in the OR, and Luke stopped her.

"Hey, calm down a little, she needs you calm." He said.

Lorelai took a breath, squeezed his hand and proceeded into the room.

Chris joined the rest of the group to wait in Rorys room for what seemed like an eternity.

Lorelai sat by Rorys head and stroked her hair while the doctors worked on the other side of the curtain.

"Mom…is she going to be all right?"

"Shh…of course she is she is a Gilmore." Lorelai said reassuring her daughter.

"I am glad you are here."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world." No sooner had Lorelai said those words than the doctor said the three they had been waiting for.

"It's a girl." He said from the other side of the curtain.

Lorelai and Rorys joy suddenly turned to fear when they both realized the lack of crying coming from the other side. Lorelai watched as a band of nurses and the doctor whisked her new granddaughter to a separate area in the same room and began to rub her vigorously and use suction to clear her airways.

"Mom…"

"It's okay hon they are just cleaning her up, she is fine…"

Lorelai watched as the doctor massaged her little chest and then the most beautiful cry escaped from the tiny blue creature they were working on. Lorelai watched as her granddaughters appearance changed from blue to pink before her eyes and then they wrapped her up tight in a blanket and brought her over to Rory.

"Meet your momma and grandma." The nurse said laying the baby in Lorelais arms at Rorys head. Lorelai couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

"Hey there little girl, we have been waiting for you." She whispered.

"She is perfect." Rory said kissing her daughters cheek softly and touching her little face.

"She needs to have a few more tests done, just to make sure she is going to be okay, she had a rough patch there we will bring her back to your room when she is done." The nurse said taking the baby from Lorelais arms.

"Okay." Rory said letting go of the blanket.

"She will be back in a flash, she looks just like you."

"Go tell everyone that she is okay." Rory said.

"We will bring her over once she is all cleaned up." The nurse said to Lorelai.

"Ok, hon, I will be in the room then."

"Okay." Rory said drifting out of it a little.

Lorelai walked across the hallway and into Rorys room. Everyone stood as she entered the room anxious to hear the news.

"It's a girl." Lorelai said walking into the room. Everyone cheered and hugged. "She had the cord wrapped around her neck and she was a little blue at first but they are fixing her up now, doing some tests, she should be back to see us soon."

"What is her name?" Emily asked.

"Rory hasn't said yet, give her a minute she just had a baby." Lorelai said to her mother.

Luke wrapped his arm around Lorelai and she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Thank you for bringing her, and being her for her." Lorelai said.

"Of course." Luke said.

"You do realize that you are dating a grandma now."

"You are the hottest grandma I have ever seen." Luke said with a smile.

A few minutes later Rory was wheeled back into the room in a clean gown and looking very tired. Everyone was gathered around giving their congratulations and hugs when they brought that little pink bundle back in.

"Now she is hooked up to this heart monitor, we just want to make sure that everything is working all right, she is doing fine but we want to be safe. Her heart rate has been a little on the low side but she is strong." The nurse said handing the baby to Rory for the first time. Lorelai sat next to her on the bed and marveled at her grandchild. Emily sat on Rorys other side and watched the three of them with tears in her eyes.

"So mama…" Lorelai whispered. "What is her name today, and remember, this one has to stick."

Rory looked down at the little dark haired bundle she was holding and as her daughter opened her eyes she knew.

"Mom, look." Rory said.

Lorelai looked down at her granddaughter who was looking at them.

"She has our eyes kid." Lorelai said.

"She is strong, I can tell…" Emily said.

"Yes, very strong." Lorelai agreed. "She shares grans birthday you know."

"I know."

"So what will it be?" Emily asked.

"I think I will name her after the three strongest women I know….Lorelai Emily Gilmore."

Lorelai smiled.

"In that case…make it the four strongest women you know, after all you are pretty strong yourself."

Emily smiled.

"So what are we going to call her then?" Emily asked.

"Ellie." Rory said with a smile.

Everyone stood back for a second, not understanding the nick name.

"Her initials, L and E…say them together, fast, Ellie."

"Welcome to the family Ellie Gilmore." Emily said.

"We are crazy, but we love you." Lorelai said.

The nurse had just left with the birth certificate when Lorelai started laughing like a mad woman.

"What on earth are you laughing like that for Lorelai you are going to wake the baby." Emily said.

"I just realized something."

"What?"

"Her initials…they spell out LEG…" Lorelai said laughing some more. Emily snickered a bit.

"Let Rory figure that out on her own." Emily said nodding towards the bed where Rory lay sleeping with Ellie.

"Now isn't that a picture." Emily said.

"My baby has a baby." Lorelai said.

"I know, so does mine, and her baby has a baby." Emily said.

"It is funny, I never thought that I could love anything or anyone else as much as I love Rory…"

"I know what you mean." Emily said putting her arm around her daughter.

"Mom, I know this wasn't the way that we planned it for her, but…"

"I think it was meant to be." Emily said.

"I am going to go find Luke and some coffee…you want anything?" Lorelai asked as she turned to leave the room.

"No, I have everything I need." Emily said with a smile.

Lorelai walked out of the room and found Luke sitting on a chair just outside of it.

"Hey stranger." Lorelai said as she walked up to him.

"Hey."

"I wondered where you disappeared to, want to come find some coffee with me."

"Sure."

"You ran off pretty quickly there."

"Yeah, well I mean, you guys were having family time, and I, I didn't want to intrude."

"You can't intrude on a place where you are welcome." Lorelai said.

"I dunno, I just felt weird with Chris there and all, I didn't want to step on any toes or anything."

"You wouldn't be. I want you to feel comfortable in this family, you are a big part of it now, and Chris will get used to it. I told him the situation on the way here, he knows we are together…he knows…that…"

"He knows what?"

"He knows that I am in love with you and…" Lorelai stammered.

"You are in love with me?" Luke said with a smile on his face.

"Well…"Lorelai said squirming.

"You're in love with me." Luke said louder.

"Luke…"Lorelai started.

"She is in love with me." Luke said to a person in the hall.

"Luke stop it."

"She is in love with me…" He said looking at her. "This works out great for me, considering I am in love with her too." He said kissing her.

"See." She said gesturing out the window of the waiting room.

"What?"

"It is snowing, good things happen when it snows." She said with a smile.

"I guess, they do." Luke said with a laugh.

Lorelai and Luke walked back into Rorys room to find Emily asleep in a chair and Richard beside her snoring.

"I guess he made it." Lorelai whispered as she picked up the baby from the basinet by Rorys bed. She brought her over to sit with Luke.

"Do you want to hold her?" Lorelai asked.

"I…uh…I better not, my hands probably aren't clean and…" Luke was stopped by Lorelai laying Ellie in his arms.

"Just make sure to support her head." Lorelai said letting go.

Luke smiled.

"I think the last baby I held was Jess." Luke said.

"Well you look like a natural to me." Lorelai said.

Ellie yawned in her sleep.

"She already thinks you are boring." Lorelai joked.

"She looks just like you." Luke said.

"She looks like her mother." Lorelai corrected him.

"Who looks like you." Luke added.

"Have you ever thought about…I mean, you must have at some point thought that…"

"I might want one of these?" Luke finished for her.

"Yeah."

"Of course I have thought about it, I mean, kids are cool, but, I guess I never met the right person you know?"

"Yeah."

"I mean did you think about having more than just Rory?"

"I always thought I would but then she just kept getting older and older and so did I and soon I realized that the window was getting smaller and the years between Rory and any new baby were getting bigger."

"So Rory is it for you?" Luke asked.

"I dunno, I mean, I might consider it again…if it were important to the person I was with…" Lorelai said hinting.

"Yeah….me too." Luke said following her hint. "Lorelai, there is something I have been meaning to ask you…"

Just then Rory woke up and called for her mother.

"Mommy." Rory said.

"Hey hon." Lorelai said gently taking back Ellie from Luke. She slowly walked her over to Rory and sat down on the bed with her.

"She is amazing." Rory said.

"Not bad at all." Lorelai said.

"Let's tell her the story." Rory said.

"What story?" Lorelai asked.

"The one about her birth…" Rory said.

"Oh that story…all right." Lorelai said with a smile as Rory cozied up to her mother.

"It was exactly one day ago…the snow was falling hard that day and everything was white…" Lorelai started.

Luke watched them and listened and imagined, waiting for the time when he could finish asking Lorelai what he had been dying to all day.

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That is all for now. I will write more soon, but I want to know what you think first! So REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW !!!!


	10. Chapter 10: Luke can't say no to a Lorel...

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own them.

**Chapter Ten: Luke Can't Say No to A Lorelai**

It had been three days since little Ellie Gilmore was welcomed to the world and she was going home. Rory was released the day before but, it didn't matter because she refused to leave her daughter. After a couple of touchy first days Ellie had rallied and was ready for her first trip home.

"Okay, I think that was the last of her stuff." Lorelai said zipping up the guitar shaped diaper bag Lane had given Rory.

"All right…I think we are ready." Rory said picking Ellie up off of the bed and placing her in her car seat.

"Now, yeah make, sure you get the middle buckle it is tricky." Lorelai said.

"I know." Rory said.

"And make sure you put that little horseshoe pillow around her head so her head doesn't wobble."

"I know, mom, I have it under control."

"Sorry, I am sorry, I know, you have it, I am sorry."

"It is okay, but let me tell you, you were not this paranoid with me…her…you freak out if she sneezes, me I was lucky to get a tissue."

"That isn't true."

"Mom you woke her up three times last night because you thought she wasn't breathing, even though she is hooked to a monitor that would have told us if she wasn't."

"Ok, so maybe I am a little more paranoid about her than I was with you that doesn't mean anything. I still wub you…too." Lorelai said playfully pinching her daughters cheeks.

"Mom." Rory said getting annoyed.

"Uh-uh no way you aren't going to pull the I have a baby, I am not your baby anymore crap with me missy." Lorelai said kissing her daughter on the forehead.

"Are we ready to go?" Rory asked.

"Let's see…diaper bag, bag of hospital free stuff, your bag, my bag, baby…yeah I think we have it all."

"Are you ready Ellie? We are going home today." Rory cooed at her sleeping daughter.

"Look out world…here comes another Gilmore girl." Lorelai said as the door to the hospital room shut behind them.

……………………………………….

"All right, Luke is on his way over with the food." Lorelai said hanging up the phone.

"Great I am starving." Rory said adjusting Ellie on her lap.

"She seems to be too…"

"Yeah, here help me switch sides would you, it's starting to get sore on this side." Rory said handing her mother a fussy Ellie.

"Oh, now it's okay we should know better than to take food from a Lorelai huh…" Lorelai baby talked to her granddaughter.

Just as Rory undid the other side of her nursing bra Luke walked through the front door.

"Ah geez!" He said covering his eyes and turning around. "I'm so sorry Rory, I didn't know that you were uhhh…"

"It's okay Luke, you can turn around, she is covered." Lorelai said tucking a pink blanket over Rory and Ellie.

"_This_ is why I still knock…you never know…I am knocking from now on, I don't care if you don't like it, I am…" Luke said still flustered.

"Oh honey, she is breast feeding, it wasn't like she was doing a poll dance in the living room…" Lorelai said hugging Lukes arm and pulling him into the kitchen.

"They're crazy El…but they love you." Rory said.

"We heard that." Lorelai called from the kitchen.

"Bring me food, I am starving."

Lorelai walked back in carrying two plates.

"Here you are." Lorelai said setting the plate in front of her.

"Fair warning Luke, I am going to bring her out." Rory said.

Luke covered his eyes as she pulled her daughter out from under the blanket and handed her off to Lorelai while she adjusted her shirt back down.

"Decent." Rory said when she was finished. "Here mom, I will take her and put her down, she can't fight sleep after she eats." Rory said.

"Ahh, she gets more like me every day." Lorelai said as Rory walked back to her room.

"How are they doing?"

"Rory has really taken to this mother thing much better than I did. I think maybe another couple days and I will leave them alone a for a night…you know anyplace I can stay?" Lorelai asked with a wicked grin.

"I might be able to find you a place." Luke said with a wink.

"The last couple of nights when she gets up at two, Rory has come into my room with her and after she feeds her we lay Ellie in the middle and sometime we sing to her, and other times she and I just look at her and talk about who she is going to be…it has been really nice, having a baby in the house…its started me thinking that maybe I…"

"Listen Lorelai I've been thinking and…"

Rory walked back into the room.

"She is so cute when she sleeps her little lips are still going like she has something to say…"

"Ahh a true Gilmore she is." Lorelai said sliding closer to Luke to make room for her on the couch.

"What is tonight's movie?" Luke asked the girls, trying to shake the nervous energy he still had running through his veins from the moments before.

"Ahh glad you asked it is a little known classic staring the one and only Molly Ringwald… I thought only appropriate considering…yes ladies and gentlemen, For Keeps, it taught me all I needed to know about being a mother."

"That's scary." Luke said.

The three watched the movie and at the end of the night when the movie was over and their dinners finished Rory got up with a yawn and went in to join her daughter in sleep.

"So…" Lorelai said when she was sure they were alone.

"So…" Luke said pulling her back to lay against his chest.

"What now?"

"Lorelai." He said stroking her hair back. "There has been something that I have been meaning to ask you since the night that Ellie was born."

"Oh yeah?" Lorelai said turning her head to see him better.

"Yeah, see uh…I was thinking, we have been together now for a while, what like…seven months."

"Oh how cute you keep track…"Lorelai said mocking him.

"But you know I mean, I think it is safe to say that this thing, you and me, it works…it's right…"

"I think…" Lorelai swallowed. "It would be safe to say that."

"So, I was thinking that…"

"Shhh…." Lorelai said sitting up.

"What, what did I say…"

" Nothing…shhh…Ellie is up…"

"How do you know that?"

"I am her grandma…I know…" Just then Ellie started crying.

"So…" Luke said.

"I'll be right back."

Luke was amazed. He had been trying to ask her something very important to all their lives for almost a week now and still he couldn't get a word in edge wise. Lorelai walked back and into Rory and the babies room emerged a while later with Ellie and a stack of diapers.

"Wha..what's going on…" Luke said.

"Poor Rory she hasn't gotten a real night sleep in about a week, so I told her that you and I would watch Ellie for the night at your place. Give her some quite, after a little fight and a lot of coaxing she gave in and laid in bed and I do believe she will remain there until the middle of tomorrow afternoon." Lorelai said.

"Wait, wait, why do we have to take her to my place, why can't we just watch her here?"

"Because if she wakes up so will Rory that is the rule of being a mom, you hear your child cry you can't ignore it and keep sleeping and that child of mine needs a night of sleep."

"But Ellie sleeps, all I see her do is sleep." Luke said.

"Ah yes, you only see her in the day light normally, this one is a night owl like her grandma, she is the most awake between two and four a.m."

"Where will she sleep I mean, I don't have the equipment at my house for her to sleep there."

"She will sleep in the bed with us."

"Oh…no, no way Lorelai, what if I rolled over her in the night or something."

"You won't you don't roll over me randomly in the middle of the night."

"But she is little, and I am big and it just spells trouble."

"She will be fine. Now take her for a second while I grab a couple of bottles Rory pumped this afternoon and we will be off."

"What..no…I'll get…" He couldn't object the next thing he knew Ellie was in his arms looking up at him.

"Support her neck." Lorelai advised as she walked into the kitchen to get the bottles.

"Hey she likes you." Lorelai said walking back into the living room.

"Would you just take her before she starts to cry or something."

"Oh…you are a bigger baby than she is, just hold her while I get the car seat would you."

Lorelai gathered Ellies things into her diaper bag, then took her from Luke and laid her in her fleece lined papoose and zipped her up and put her in the car seat.

"Okay I think that is everything, diapers, bottles, blankets, fresh clothes, binkeys, burp cloths, wipes, yeah I think that's it. You ready?"

"Lorelai I am not so sure about this." Luke said trying to make one more protest.

"Luke, honey, I love you, but you have to get past this I am scared of a seven pound bundle of flesh. She isn't going to hurt you, you aren't going to hurt her. Now would you please go start the car, I don't want her to get too cold on the way over."

"But,…"

"But nothing, if you are going to be dating her grandma, you are going to have to get used to playing grandpa…" Lorelai said her eyes immediately shifted from his as she said that. "Would you just go start the car." She said trying to cover her tracks.

Luke walked out with a smile, maybe now wasn't the best time to ask with all the excitement, but is was good to know that Lorelai was on the same page as he was.

Ellie cried all the way to the Diner and didn't stop until after Lorelai changed her, fed her and burped her. Once she was calm again Lorelai sat with her on the edge of Lukes bed waiting for him to come in from the shower.

He walked in still toweling dry his hair.

"Ahh, you look relaxed, I really want to take one now, would you watch her please, I will be two minutes, I promise." Lorelai said giving him her best sad eyes.

"I dunno Lore."

"She is a week old Luke and I am going to be three feet away. She is fed changed and burped, we are just waiting for those little eyes to close, which because after one week of life she has been spoiled to death, she only does when being held, so…" Lorelai said giving him her best pretty please eyes.

"Two minutes." Luke said putting out his arms to receive Ellie.

"Thank you, thank you." Lorelai said handing her over and kissing his cheek.

"You are getting so lucky later." She said with a wink.

"Not with the baby here." He objected.

She laughed as she walked into the bath room leaving a flustered Luke in her wake.

Lorelai of course took longer than her promised two minutes in the shower. Luke reminded her of her time limit at the six and ten minute time lapses, he gave up after what would have been the fifteen minute complaining, but she heard him coming and told him she would be just a couple more minutes.

A frustrated Luke sat down with Ellie who was still fighting sleep. He began to amuse himself by talking to her.

"You want to know something Ellie, if you want to be a real man killer when you get big, it doesn't matter what you wear, or what you look like, or even that you have your grandmas eyes, if you could just one time out of ten, be ready on time, or early, early would make him want to marry you."

Lorelai emerged from the bathroom where she had been listening to Luke talk to Ellie.

"What kind of lies are you telling her?" Lorelai said leaning over and kissing his forehead.

"The truth…about how to get a man."

"Oh really."

"Yeah, maybe she will grow up to not have quite as many interesting quirks as you and her mother have."

"Oh, I thought you liked my quirks."

"Oh I do…" He said trying to hand her Ellie.

"Uh..uh not yet Mr. interesting quirks."

"I just mean, that most people when they say they are going to be two minutes try to keep with in at least some semblance of the time frame."

"Two minutes is just an expression, for a quick time."

"Did you hear that Ellie twenty minutes is quick now." Luke said to the baby.

"Besides you like my quirks." She said taking Ellie from him and laying her on the bed and putting pillows around her.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping her from rolling away, granted she can't even support her own head yet how she is gonna roll…"

"Why are you doing that?"

"Well…I just thought that I would remind you of some other quirk I have that you have always been quite fond of…"Lorelai said kissing his neck.

"Lorelai the baby is right there."

"She isn't watching and even if she was she doesn't know what she is seeing."

"I can't not with her…"

"Luke I haven't slept over for two weeks you are seriously telling me that because there is a baby in your house, you aren't going to take advantage of the situation?"

Luke thought about it for a second.

"You sure that she doesn't know?"

"Positive." She said with a grin.

Lorelai was in the bathroom freshening up after their romp when Ellie began to cry. Luke walked over to the door and called in to her.

"She is crying."

"I can hear, pick her up, and walk around with her I will be a second."

"Lore…"

"Luke, I will be there in a second." She said.

Luke walked over to the baby and looked down at her for a second; her face was red from tears. Reluctantly he scooped her up into his arms and began to walk around his apartment.

"The walking isn't working." Luke called.

"Try singing or humming something to her, something soothing." Lorelai called still in the bathroom.

Frustrated with the situation Luke sighed and tried to think if he knew any kids songs and came up with nothing.

"I don't, I don't know any kids songs." He called to her.

"Anything." Lorelai called over Ellies whales.

"You are lucky I love your grandma kid…" He said as he cleared his throat.

"I'm wasting away again in Maragritaville, looking for my lost shaker of salt…" He half sang and half spoke as he walked and rocked with the baby.

"Some people say that there's a woman to blame…but I know…it's my own…uh…da…darn fault." Luke sang not knowing if him saying damn would permanently stick with her.

Lorelai emerged from the bathroom.

"I blew out my flip flop, stepped on a pop-pop…burnt my heel had to cruise on back home…but there is booze in the blender…and so it will render…that frozen concoction to help me hang on…"

Lorelai came up behind Luke who hadn't yet noticed her presence.

"Jimmy Buffet? You chose to sing her Jimmy Buffet?" Lorelai mocked taking the now calm Ellie from him.

"It made her quit crying didn't it? And besides it is the only song I know all the words to."

"That is the saddest thing I have ever heard." Lorelai said.

The three laid down after that for the night, and miracle of miracles Ellie didn't wake up again until six a.m.

Luke had already woken up and went down stairs to open the Diner.

Lorelai fed her a bottle and gave her a bath, after she had Ellie all dressed she got herself ready and took her downstairs for breakfast.

She had barely sat the car seat down on the table when Babbette and Patty swarmed around her.

"Oh look at her tiny hands." Patty cooed.

"She has Rorys nose." Babbette added.

"Who's going to be a pretty ballerina? Who is..Ellie is…" Patty went on.

"She is just the sweetest little thing…such a good baby, is she a good baby Lorelai?" Babbette asked.

"She is a very good baby, she likes to be awake in the night a bit more than her mom would like, but she is a good baby." Lorelai said with a smile.

"Bless her heart. Where is Rory?" Patty wondered.

"She is at home sleeping, Luke and I kept her upstairs last night to give Rory a good nights sleep she hasn't really had one yet. She should be here soon, I called her before we came down, this little one is going to be ready to eat again her self soon." Lorelai said.

"Well, you tell her if she needs anyone to watch her, Patty and I'd be glad too." Babbette said.

"I will." Lorelai said as the women walked away.

It wasn't but a few moments later that Lane came in for her shift.

"Oh…there she is…" Lane said when she saw the baby seat on the table.

"Yep, that's her, I tried to fit Rory in there but it didn't work." Lorelai said.

"Can I hold her?" Lane asked excitedly.  
"Of course you can, just be very careful about her neck." Lorelai said picking up Ellie and handing her to Lane.

"Hi…" Lane said in a very awkward baby voice. "I'm your aunt Lane remember me, I have come to see you a lot but you are always asleep, yes…you are so cute aren't you. Yes you are. Yes you are. Who is the cutest baby, you're the cutest baby…" Lane said making faces at a sleeping Ellie.

"I hate to interrupt such intelligent conversation, but there are customers waiting Lane." Luke said walking up to her.

"Boo, hiss…meany." Lorelai teased Luke.

"Hey I let her have slide for a couple minutes now, it is time to work." Luke said as Lane handed Ellie back to Lorelai.

"It's okay, he's right…bye Ellie, you sweet, sweet girl." Lane cooed as she walked away from the table.

Luke leaned close to Lorelai as if he were about to tell her some kind of secret.

"Do you think it is a good idea to pass her around like that to everyone?"

"Sure Luke why not?" Lorelai asked wondering where this paranoid line of questioning would lead.

"Well don't you think the more transfers from person to person, the higher the likelihood of her being dropped."

"You think that Babbette, Lane, or Miss Patty would drop her."

"Well, maybe not on purpose but accidents happen." Luke said.

"She will be fine Luke." Lorelai said as Rory walked through the door of the diner.

"There is mommy." Lorelai said waving Ellies hand at Rory.

"Hi honey." Rory said hurrying over to Ellie and taking her from Lorelai. "Mommy missed you." She said kissing her face.

"She was a perfect little angel and Luke sang her Maragritaville." Lorelai told her daughter.

"What? Do I want to know?"

"Probably not." Lorelia assumed.

"So she was good? She wasn't any trouble."

"My granddaughter could never be any trouble." Lorelai said to Ellie.

"Speaking of grandparents, what is the plan for tonight?"

"We need a plan now?"

"Well with Ellie and the time issue."

"What time issue?"

"I have found that it takes an average of twenty minutes to get her already to go, so we need to be ready to leave by six so she can be ready by six twenty and we can go." Rory said nonchalantly.

"Wow hon, you really have this figured out don't you."

"I just don't want to be the girl who had a baby and then is always late. I hate that."

"All right then, we are taking your car then?" Lorelai said.

"Uh, yeah she is not riding in that death trap you drive."

"It has been fine for you for eight years and now it is a death trap?" Lorelai scoffed.

"Mom." Rory said cuddling with Ellie.

"Okay, I am sorry, we take your car."

Ellie began to cry.

"I think she is hungry." Lorelai said.

"Yeah, I think you are right. Will you hand me her blanket." Rory said unbuttoning her shirt and getting ready to feed Ellie.

Luke rushed up to the table.

"You can't do that here." Luke said as Rory pulled the blanket over she and Ellie and began to feed her.

"Luke, she is hungry, you wouldn't let her just be hungry would you?"

"It isn't sanitary…"

"You're diner? Probably not…" Rory said with a smile.

Luke knew he was beat.

"Just keep that blanket there." Luke said in protest.

"Face it Luke, you can't say no to a Lorelai." Lorelai said as he walked away. "You have him wrapped around your finger."

"Me? You are the one sleeping with him."

"He has a soft spot for you too, I think you might have a better lock on him that I do." Lorelai said letting her gaze settle on Luke.

"You think?" Rory asked.

"I know. And…Ellie…well, she has him on the ropes for the whole I don't like baby things…she is about to convert him." Lorelai said with a laugh.

Luke looked over at the girls when he heard their laughter. Sometimes he couldn't believe that he was actually with Lorelai now. He had imagined it for so long and now, there she was looking over at him and blushing. And Rory he always felt so protective of her and now with Ellie, he never expected to look at a baby and think, I must protect this creature, but he did when he looked at her. He knew that he couldn't wait much longer…if he didn't ask Lorelai soon, he was going to burst, the thought of it made a smile cross his face.

"Lorelai Victoria Danes…I like the sound of that." He thought to himself.

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You love me, I love you…do me a favor and please review…or I will sing more Barney too. Ha ha ha.


	11. Chapter 11: A Town Conspiracy

**Disclaimer**: I don't own them, don't sue me.

**Authors Note**: I just wanted to thank everyone who is reading this fiction and especially thank those who are reviewing…they are what keep me wanting to write! Keep them coming. Also I want to thank Fred for her help with story line and for always being willing to read 'just one more part' before I post, I love ya! Enjoy all!

Miss Wallow

**Chapter 11: It's a Town Conspiracy **

Almost two months had gone by since little Lorelai Emily Gilmore came home from the hospital. It had been a busy few months between the baby, and the holidays the family was just starting to settle into a normal routine. Rory stayed home with Ellie in the mornings and went into the paper to work about three, at that point she took Ellie to Lukes on Mondays and Tuesdays where he watched her after much coaxing by both Lorelai and Rory that he was indeed capable of the task. From there Lorelai would pick Ellie up on her way home from the Inn at about five just before Lukes dinner rush began. Rory joined the three of them there for dinner around seven. Rory knew there was a reason she loved working at the paper, in addition to Mr. Oliver (her boss) having a soft spot for both Rory and the baby he was happy to help by working with her schedule, he had even promoted her from fact check to writing a girl on the street type column twice a week. She reported on fun happenings around the town and surrounding areas.

Wednesdays Rory had off so she stayed home with Ellie and on Thursdays Ms. Patty, Babbette and even Lane took turns with the three to five shift with her and Lorelai again took her until Rory got off from work. And on Fridays Rorys only nine to five day, Emily would come and pick Ellie up from Lorelai at the Inn in the mornings and keep her until the girls joined them for dinner that night. It wasn't always perfect and there were days when to everyone's amusement Luke danced around the diner with a crying Ellie strapped to his front in a snuggly, and there were those days that someone would be late for their pick up or drop off time, but as they say it takes a village and this particular one had a soft spot for their Gilmore girls as more and more residence had taken to calling the trio.

It was one such Monday afternoon that Rory walked into the diner pushing Ellie in her stroller, to be dropped off with who despite his lack of any formal relation to her had been deemed Papa Luke. Rory was surprised to find Luke in mid-heated dispute with Caesar over what she could only guess.

"People normally close doors to indicate the need for privacy! It is not an invitation for you to come knocking bugging me with questions you already know the answer too!" Luke yelled.

"Whoa Luke what is going on."

"Caesar decided to pick today of all days to forget how to make an omelet."

"I ran out of eggs." Caesar said in his own defense.

"Come on…" Rory said half dragging Luke into the store room where Ellies portable crib was set up.

"What is really the matter, did you and mom have a fight or something when she came over for breakfast?"

"No, your mom and I are fine, in fact, I was planning on giving her this…" He said pulling a ring out of his pocket. "But, Tattoo over there kept interrupting 'the eggs boss, the eggs' and then she had to go so I had to put it off again!" Luke said.

"Oh my God Luke, you were gonna ask mom to marry you?" Rory said hugging him.

"I have been trying since the night Ellie was born, but something always happens and we are interrupted, and I want it to be special and romantic and all that stuff it is supposed to be, I mean Max gave her a thousand yellow daises how do I compete with that." He said flopping down and looking down at Ellie. "It has to be perfect you know…I don't know why I thought I could do it in here anyway, I just, I want to ask her…I want to marry her." Luke said.

"Then you will. Don't worry about what Max did, she loves you Luke, anything you do will be perfect you could hide it in one of Ellies diapers and she would love it."

Luke looked at her with a look of 'that might work' on his face.

"I was totally kidding, it was just a more disgusting example of how much she wouldn't care how or when."

"I know, I know it wouldn't matter to her, but it matters to me, I want it to be something she will never forget, you know, I want it to be big and spectacular and I want it to be better than a thousand fricken' daisies. She deserves it."

"Do you want my advise?"

"At this point I would take her advice." He said gesturing to a cooing Ellie.

"You want it big and spectacular; I think I can help you…" Rory said laying out her plan to him in the store room.

He was so excited about the idea, he put her to work right away to start the planning, they didn't have a lot of time, the winter carnival was fast approaching and they were planning the biggest surprise in town history.

Rory went to work that day with a great new idea for her column the next week, this would be one of the biggest stories that she had written yet.

It had been a week since Luke and Rorys meeting in the storage closet. It took all they could to keep this one from Lorelai and the whole town was in on it from Taylor, to Sookie, to Kirk, everyone knew that this years winter carnival was one that no one would soon forget. The closer the carnival came the more nervous Luke got.

The bell rang as Lorelai entered the diner the day before the carnival. She sauntered up to Luke and surprised him by wrapping her arms around his waist causing him to drop the plates he was holding.

"Okay, see…now that…is strange." Lorelai said as he turned around.

"You just surprised me that's all." Luke said kissing her hello.

"Yeah, you are like the millionth person that I have just surprised today. It is weird everyone is acting so weird lately."

"I think you are paranoid."

"Kirk won't even look at me, if he sees me coming he turns and goes the other way."

"It is Kirk what do you expect?"

"I suppose, but Taylor and Patty and Lane they all are acting the same way they did that year they played that April fools joke on me."

"Yeah, that was good." Luke said with a chuckle. "But I don't think that they are out to get you this time."

"What makes you so sure?"

"No one in this town can keep a secret especially Patty, one of us would have heard something by now."

"Maybe I am just being paranoid, so how was El today?"

"She was great in fact she started her nap right on schedule for once and she is in there sleeping now."

"You are getting the hang of this whole baby thing aren't you."

"She is a good baby, she makes it easy."

"She is a good baby." Lorelai said with a smile going to check on her.

As soon as Lorelai was out of sight Kirk walked into the diner.

"Luke, I need to talk to you about the sign…" He stopped short of finishing when Lorelai emerged holding Ellie. Just as quickly as he had entered Kirk turned and rushed out of the diner.

"What is he talking about?" Lorelai asked as she shifted Ellie from one arm to the other.

"I dunno its Kirk maybe is seeing signs now…"

"I tell you he is acting more strange than normal."

"So she was up?" Luke said trying to change the subject.

"Yeah she was just laying in there looking around."

"Hey gorgeous…did you sleep well." Luke said kissing the top of Ellies bald head.

"I swear Luke, you are going to ruin your rep." Lorelai said with a laugh.

Later that night at home Lorelai brought the snacks into the living room where Rory was waiting with Paris on the couch.

"Paris it has been a while, what is new in the wide world." Lorelai asked as she entered.

"My professors are all idiots, half of them are children and I could teach better, I haven't heard from any of the hospitals that I have sent letters of intent to and I am going to kill Tana, other than that things are peachy."

"Yeah I still don't understand how you agreed to let her move in with you in the first place."

"She needed a place to crash, I had the space, I guess her first semester roommate was a bigger spaz than she is, and I don't know, I guess I feel kind of protective of her for one reason or another."

"Oh, Paris, did you go see the wizard? Finally get that heart he promised." Rory teased.

"What about the fellas?" Lorelai pried a bit.

"What about them a bunch of drunken frat boys…I don't think so, and all of the graduate students are losers too, I swear the Ivy league doesn't mean anything anymore they let anyone in."

"Ahh now there must be someone…" Lorelai pushed.

"Mom, she says there isn't anyone I am sure there isn't anyone."

"Well there is one guy…"

"Who?" Rory said jumping on the chance for details.

"I can't tell you, you will laugh."

"Tell me, tell me, please! I haven't had any good material in a while." Rory Begged.

"Hey I tell you stuff about me and Luke…" Lorelai said defensively.

"I mean Yale stuff. Who is it do I know him?"

"Yeah."

"Who."

"Doyle."

"Doyle? Doyle? I walk around the news room like Mel Gibson from that Brave heart movie Doyle?"

"He paints his face blue?" Lorelai asked.

"Very proud, constantly rallies the troupes." Rory said. "How did this happen?"

"Well, I went to a speed dating thing and all the guys weren't worth my time. Doyle was there, we got to talking and the next thing I know…he is wearing my robe." Paris said embarrassed.

"Whoa now there is a visual I didn't ever need to have." Rory said shaking her head.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Have you seen him again?"

"Are you gonna marry him any time soon?" Lorelai teased drawing a odd reaction from her daughter she thought.

"I don't know, we have seen each other a couple of times since, I am not sure. Anyway how are you?" She asked Rory.

"Good, good, I am writing a girl on the street column now which you know, and I have a baby now, so that is new, I have started sleeping less, and smelling worse…life is good." Rory said with a laugh.

"Marty keeps asking about you." Paris said.

"Really?"

"He says you won't take his calls." Paris went on.

"What?" Lorelai said surprised that Rory would be avoiding anyone.

"I just, he and I…I don't want to…Marty is a great guy, and he was a great friend but, I don't want to give him the wrong idea about things…and with Ellie, and everything, I just didn't need the complication."

"Oh hon, you can't just shut people out like that it isn't right."

"You did."

"Excuse me?" Lorelai said.

"You did, you shut people out, you avoided them to keep it from me, to keep my life level. I just want that for Ellie too."

"But, you and Marty were just friends weren't you." Paris said.

"Yeah, but he, I could tell he thought that we might eventually be more than that, and I just don't feel the same way about it, and even if I did I have El now and the paper, and I help mom at the Inn from time to time and I wait a table or two at Lukes if he needs a hand. I am just trying to make enough money to keep Ellie and I self sufficient. Even, if I did think of Marty in anyway but a friendly one, with my schedule here and his there, it would never happen. It is best to just ignore it."

"I ignored my feelings for Luke for eight years, see where that got me?" Lorelai said trying to make a point.

"Maybe, once El is a little older, once my feet are on the floor a little more permanently I might think about it, but no not right now." Rory said.

"I guess that is okay for you, but I still don't think it is fair to poor Marty." Lorelai said.

Ellie started to cry and Rory got up to get her, thanking her under her breath for the welcome interruption.

"Here she is…Ellie yes, you wanted to see your aunt Paris huh…here she is." Rory said bringing out Ellie and trying to hand her to Paris.

"What are you doing?" Paris said standing and moving away from Rory.

"I was going to let you hold her." Rory said.

"Yeah Paris don't you want to hold her?"

"No." Paris said matter of fact.

"Why not?" Rory asked a little offended.

"Because, I am just not that kind of girl that needs to hold every baby, I am fine just looking at her while you hold her. I can keep my composure avoid the need to talk to her as if she were an idiot in high pitched helium voices. I don't want to inflict that kind of damage on her little brain."

"Damage?" Lorelai asked confused.

"Talking baby talk to babies has been thought to cause some speech problems in later life." Rory said explaining Paris' point.

"Well then she is gonna hab a whot ob damage, won't she? Ess she will…" Lorelai said to Ellie mocking the girls theory.

"All right, that is enough…what are we watching?" Rory asked Lorelai.

"Oh, tonight we are in for a real treat, it is a Julie Andrews double feature, Sound of Music and Victor/Victoria." Lorelai said with a smile.

"Oh boy." Paris said with a grimace.

"What is the matter Paris?"

"I am not a big fan of musicals."

"You don't like, babies or musicals…hmmm…are you sure you are a girl, cause…"

"Just put the first movie in." Rory begged, her mother and Paris could get into kind of tug of wars of words and neither would budge for hours and Rory was hoping to get a good nights sleep before tomorrows big event.

Later that night…after Paris had gone and she put Ellie in bed, Rory went back into the living room and watched from the couch as snow fell softly outside the window. She allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts. She loved her daughter more than she thought possible, and every day with her was something new and amazing and she couldn't imagine her life any other way, and didn't wish to change a thing about the way things had worked out. Ellie had a way of changing everyone she met she started with Rory the moment she opened those eyes. She changed Lukes mind about babies for sure, now he would baby talk to her right in front of you, he didn't even wait until he thought you were out of earshot any more.

For as much joy and happiness and pride that Rory had where her daughter was concerned, she still had those moments where she would wonder what might have been had she stayed at Yale. Would Marty have still wanted to be her friend, would everything have changed? Would she have been able to stay or would she as she feared have to drop out because between Ellie and school it was all too much.

The moments were fleeting and as soon as she laid eyes on her daughter again, they always vanished in the knowledge that she had done the right thing. She had made the same decision her mother had made for her years before, the decision that her daughter came first and everything else was an after thought. But, right now, sitting watching the snow, allowing her mind to drift, Rory wished to call up Marty and talk and laugh and see what might happen…she wanted to know. In a moment of exhilaration at the idea of him being excited and happy to hear from her she picked up the phone and dialed his number.

As soon as he picked up on the other end Rory hung up the phone, realizing that wondering what might have been and asking were two different questions and the answers may not be ones that she could handle into her life right now.

"What was that about?" Lorelai said coming down the stairs to see her daughter haphazardly toss the phone on the end of the couch as she hung it up quickly.

"I dialed the wrong number." Rory said covering herself.

"Who were you trying to call?" Lorelai asked.

"Marty." Rory said letting out a sigh. "And it was the right number, I just…I don't know if I want to know why he is asking."

"You really like him don't you?" Lorelai asked.

"I don't know. I mean, we are just friends there is a line there, and he isn't…I don't know he isn't the kind of guy I normally go for…you know."

"No honey, I have no idea, there was Dean all-American- apple- pie, then there was Jess hell-on-wheels, I don't see that you have a clear type forming here."

"I mean, I…I have to think about Ellie now, you know."

"Oh, I know." Lorelai said.

"I know you know, and I don't want to lead him on, thinking that I am ready to do anything but be friends, my life is too day to day right now."

"Then you should tell him that."

"How did you keep it from me?"

"What?"

"I know you dated when I was younger, but I rarely if ever knew about it. How did you keep it from me?"

"Very carefully, and I wasn't so good at first. I made a few mistakes that you probably don't remember, but then one night, when you were about five or so, I came home from a date with this guy, he was he was my Jess, he was dangerous and fun and he had taken me to a concert Metallica, and we had a lot of fun. I drank too much, I even had a couple cigarettes."

"What?" Rory said amazed she had never heard this story before.

"So I came home, and I paid the sitter and I had almost made it into the bathroom with out waking you…when you caught me red handed. You came out and you looked at me, and you seemed confused and I hugged you and you looked at me, and you said 'Mommy you smell funny.' And I decided right then, you weren't going to meet or know about any of them until I knew that they were pretty permanent and I was more responsible about what you saw after that."

"See I don't want her to get attached to anyone, and then have them turn and burn on us." Rory said.

"She is so small now Rory, she won't remember if that happens, and I do think Marty is much the turn and burn type. You have to decide this one kid, you have to decide how you are going to work the whole situation for the two of you, just because it worked for you and I it doesn't mean it is the best or the only way to do things." Lorelai said kissing her daughter forehead and standing up.

"So you will meet me and Ellie back here to go to the carnival tomorrow?" Lorelai said.

"Yeah." Rory said with a smile.

"I will be glad when it is over…people are acting so strange about it this year and have you seen that thing in the square covered with the tarp? Apparently there is some big unveiling…I swear it is just what this town needs…another historical monument."

"Yeah really." Rory said agreeing with her.

As Lorelai walked back up the stairs, Rory couldn't help but smile. She knew that tomorrow was a day that no one in the town would soon forget.


	12. Chapter 12: Sparks Will Fly

**Disclaimer:** If you haven't got it by now, I don't own them.

**Chapter 12**: Sparks Will Fly

It was January 28th, the day of the winter carnival and Rory was making the rounds making sure everyone had their part in the proposal down. Even Ellie had a part, it was going to take a miracle to pull everything off without a hitch, but Rory was confident in the towns people to help make this happen for her mother and Luke.

Her last stop was the diner to check on Luke as the day got closer his nervousness grew ten fold. She walked in to find him pushing Ellie in her baby swing.

"She really likes this thing." He said when he saw Rory.

"Yeah, she does. How are you feeling today? Are you ready for tonight?"

"Yeah, you know I was nervous this week but, I know she is going to say yes…so…I feel…great." He said with a nervous smile.

"You keep up that, act Luke."

Lorelai walked into the diner flustered.

"Ok, I am officially not going tonight." Lorelai said flopping down on a stool.

"What?" Rory said.

"I am just going to hang out here with you Luke, you are right these town functions are crazy." Lorelai said.

"And so now you are going to listen to me?" He said frustrated.

"See…see…that..that is what I mean, everyone has been like that today. Ms.Patty has closed rehearsals for today, Lane kicked me out of the house said the band needed to practice a song and know that they weren't going to be heard because it would ruin the good vibe they had going, I did manage to find out that whatever Patty has planned she asked Cindy Paulsen to make the costumes for her, even though I have done it every year since Rory was in training pants. No one seems to know what the monstrosity under tarp in the square is but they all protect it with their lives. This whole town has gone nuts and apparently decided to get together to shun me, what did I do?"

"You, didn't do anything, they have been like that to everyone in town. It isn't just you, lets just go tonight, and we can get our snow cones, and play some snow bowling and leave."

"I don't know Rory."

"It is Ellies first town event, you have to be there." Rory said, pulling the highest trump card of all, the Ellie card, no one had any power against it.

Lorelai thought about it for a minute and then agreed.

"But, then I am coming over here to mock them all with you." She said pointing to Luke. "See you at home then hon?" Lorelai asked as she got up to leave.

"See you then."

Once they were sure she was not coming back into the diner they spoke again.

"That was close, I knew she would get suspicious but this is a whole other level that I didn't know she was capable of. Good thing we had Ellie as the back up plan."

"You just make sure she is there."

……..

"Rory are you ready?" Lorelai called as she came down the stairs.

"Yeah, we are ready." Rory said walking out holding a bundled up Ellie.

"It is the abominable snow baby." Lorelai said when she saw her granddaughter.

"It is supposed to snow tonight."

"It isn't going to snow."

"The weather said it was going to snow…"

"The nose says no, it isn't going to snow." Lorelai said.

"And the nose knows."

"Speaking in idioms now are you? See, that year at Yale hasn't warn off yet."

"Let's go, we don't want to be late." Rory said.

"Since when is there a time that you have to be at a town function?"

"I just don't want to keep Ellie out too late, she is just keeping up with her schedule." Rory said covering her tracks.

"Then we are off."

They walked into the town square where everyone was gathered.

"Wow this is the biggest turn out I have seen in years."

"They must all want to know what is under that tarp." Rory said shifting Ellie in her arms.

"Maybe." Lorelai said suspicious.

"Come on lets get some hocho."

"I thought you hated that word."

"I do, but you don't." Rory said leading her mother into position and winking up at Lanes band and they began to play.

Lorelais ears perked.

"That is a weird song for them to play." Lorelai said.

"Really? Why?" Rory said playing dumb.

"Nothing…no reason, I am sure it is just a coincidence, I didn't know Lane could sing."

"It shocked her too." Rory said.

They walked closer to the gazebo to watch as Lane sang.

"I wrote the pain down, Got off and looked up, Looked into your eyes, The lost open windows, All around My dark heart lit up the skies And now that I've worn, I've worn out the world I'm on my knees in fascination Looking through the night And the moons never seen me before But I'm reflecting light…" Lane sang as Zack played on the acoustic guitar.

Just then Taylor and Kirk walked over to the tarp and began to hoist the covered object up on pulleys and tie the ropes to anchors in the ground.

"What are they up to?" Lorelai asked.

"I don't know."

Lorelai began to realize more and more that the towns people weren't talking and wandering about, rather most of them stood silent eyes fixed on her. She didn't have much time to think about it before Patty lead her dancers out of the studio and into the middle of the square just in front of the tie downs for the thing under the tarp.

The girls were dressed in pink floral dresses and the little boys in suits and before them they began to waltz around the square.

"Rory what is going on?" Lorelai turned to ask her daughter, but instead she found Luke waiting there, dressed in the very suit he wore the night of Lizs wedding.

"Luke…what…" Lorelai said.

Luke put his finger to Lorelais lips to quite her.

"No interruptions." He said.

"But…"

"I have been trying to ask you something since the night Ellie was born, but nothing was good enough, and each time I tried I was interrupted. So now, that I have your attention…" Luke said.

Just then Taylor, as was planned interrupted Luke for the last time.

"If I could have everyones attention please it is time for the unveiling of Stars Hollows latest monument which should change this town for ever…" Taylor said nodding to Luke.

Not wanting to miss it but afraid of Luke never getting to finish his question Lorelai turned to look as Taylor pulled the tarp and Kirk threw a switch. For a brief moment a sign hung above the square….and flashed "Marry Me Lorelai." Before it sparked and went dark, seconds later one of the steaks pulled from the ground sending the whole thing crashing to the ground. Luckily the sparks made everyone run far enough away from it that no one was hurt.

"Oh my God." Lorelai screamed as she watched the events unfold.

"Is everyone okay?" Luke asked concerned that he would never get it out.

"We're fine..."Kirk called back to him.

When Lorelai turned back around to ask Luke what the sign said…he was on his knee.

"Did that sign say…" Lorelai started.

"Marry me Lorelai." Luke said as Pattys dancers gathered around them tossing fake snow in their direction.

"Oh…" Lorelai said with tears in her eyes.

"I can't just conjure snow, so I asked them for some help."

"You made it snow…" She said taking a slow breath in.

Lorelai looked around at the towns people all waiting with baited breath to see what her answer would be. She locked eyes with Rory who was standing holding Ellie half laughing half crying, she nodded at her mother as their eyes met and Lorelai smiled.

"Of course." Lorelai said.

Luke stood up and kissed Lorelai as he gave her the ring, everyone cheered and clapped and laughed through the happiest of tears, after eight years of watching the two of them try every other possibility and ignore what was right before them, they were finally going to be married.

Rory walked over to her mother and Luke. Lorelai hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead.

"How long have you guys been planning this?" Lorelai asked.

"A while now." Rory said turning to Luke and giving him a hug.

Lorelai kissed Luke again as she looked down at the beautiful diamond ring that sat on her finger.

"I can't believe you went to all this trouble, and that is why everyone had acted so weird lately."

"Well, everyone but Kirk, Kirk just stayed on par…" Luke said.

Rory walked away from the pair as the rest of the towns people took turns looking at the ring and congratulating them. She sat down on a bench and shifted Ellie in her lap to look at her face.

"Things are changing Ellie." She said and Ellie smiled and cooed.

"This seat taken?" A low familiar voice said.

Rory almost didn't want to look up, but she knew she had to she couldn't avoid him forever, but, what was he doing here, tonight?

"No, feel free." She said looking up at him.

"So this is little Lorelai number two?" He said nervously looking at Ellie.

"Actually this is Lorelai the fourth, my great grandma, my mom, me and now her."

"Hi there Lorelai." Marty said to the wiggly bundle.

"Actually, we call her Ellie. Her middle name, it's Emily after my grandmother, so we just use her initials. L E, anyway yeah Ellie."

"So this is weird isn't it?"

"No. I mean, a little, I am sorry, I have spent all week helping my mothers boyfriend set up this elaborate proposal and it just happened so I am still a little excited and nervous and happy, it is odd. I am really happy for them though, you know."

"Yeah, I saw the sparks…"

"Yeah that is apparently what happens when you leave Kirk in charge of electrical circuits."

"So…"

"Yeah…"

"You called me the other night, and you hung up so…"

"How did you…"

"Caller ID."

"Ahh…right…listen Marty I am sorry, thing have been so…"

"I am sure, and with the baby…"

"Yeah, she takes up so much time, and she is wonderful and beautiful and I love her…"

"I understand. Rory, I understand, I mean I expected when I heard about you being pregnant that you might lay low for a while, that kind of thing…I didn't expect not to hear from you again…or find out that you had the baby from Paris and then have you not return my calls, I just thought, I thought we were friends."

"We are friends Marty, I just, I am sorry, I don't think I handled this right. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea, I didn't want you to think that you needed to step up from friend to some other kind of take charge protective boyfriend type roll."

"Why would I think that?" Marty said with a laugh.

Rory chuckled too.

"I guess I have seen one to many, my best friend is having a baby out of wedlock movies." Rory said laughing making Ellie coo with glee as well.

"She sure thinks you are funny." Marty said.

"She also thinks that spiting up is funny, so she is an easy crowd."

"She is beautiful, she looks just like you." Marty said.

Rory blushed at his subtle compliment.

Lorelai and Luke finally broke away from the crowd and were looking for Rory before they left for the evening.

"There she is." Luke said pointing over to the bench. "Who is that with her?"

"That is Marty."

"Who is Marty."

"A chance I hope she takes. I am going to go tell her we are leaving."

"I will go put the coffee on."

"I hope you know…your coffee is only one, small reason that I am marrying you." She said smiling as she walked away.

"Good to know." He said walking towards the diner.

Lorelai walked over to Rory and Marty.

"What have I told you about letting strangers hold your baby?" Lorelai joked as she walked up to them.

"Oh, mom Marty, Marty mom." Rory said.

"We have met." Lorelai said. "I just wanted to see you squirm."

"How are you tonight Miss Gilmore."

"Marty, please it is Lorelai and I am great, I just got engaged."

"I heard, congratulations."

"Thank you. We are going to stay at Lukes tonight, but will you be there in the morning for breakfast."

"I will be there." Rory said.

"May I?" Lorelai said gesturing to Ellie. Marty nodded. Lorelai picked up Ellie and gave her a kiss.

"Grandma loves you, don't keep mommy out too late." She said as she handed her back to Marty. "Watch her head it is still wobbly."

"Got it." Marty said.

"Night mom." Rory said.

"Night hon." Lorelai said kissing Rory on the head. "Night Marty."

"Good night Miss…I mean Lorelai."

"He learns quick this one." Lorelai said walking away.

"Well, I better get her home and to bed…"

"Of course, can I walk you?" Marty asked handing Ellie back to her.

"Sure, that would be nice." She said standing. Marty stood and crooked his arm, Rory linked hers with his as they walked down the street. Neither one of them knew what the walk meant or what it would come to mean, but either way, it was nice and a nice way to end a great night.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!**


	13. Chapter 13: Here's Hoping

**I own nothing. **

**Chapter 13: Here's Hoping**

It was a hot July day in Stars Hollow, it had been seven months since Lukes elaborate proposal in the square and it was still the talk of the town. Preparations were underway for the wedding that everyone had been waiting for, for almost ten years now, and the town was a buzz. Over the last seven months a lot had changed, but as always more stayed the same, as it seems to be in small towns. Luke had started spending more nights at Lorelais house and more of his things had wandered in to stay over that time. Little Ellie had learned to roll over, then sit up and now she was crawling all over the place, much to the delight and then chagrin of her mother. It was a never ending race to keep up with her and she seemed to take after her aunt Sookie in the accident department. At ten months she had taken four trips to the emergency room, and as much as Rory wanted to blame herself for not watching her daughter close enough, it seemed as if she was just accident prone.

When Ellie was about five months Rory got on full time at the paper and started to pick up more shifts at the diner and the Inn. They couldn't keep up the shuffle between family and friends so Sookie pulled some heart strings and got her sitter for Davey to agree to take in little Ellie as well. Rory hated that she was away from her daughter so much more, but she had to start thinking about making a life for them, she couldn't just depend on her mother and Luke forever, and with the wedding fast approaching Rory wanted to find them a place of their own, so Luke and Lorelai could have the time she felt the deserved to have together after the wedding, though she would never tell them that.

Other than that things had stayed very much the same since the night of the engagement. Marty came to town about once a week to see Rory and play with Ellie but, at her prompting their relationship remained a platonic one. Though there were times when he was pushing Ellie in the swing at the park or playing air plane with her, or even those times the two of them fell asleep while watching a movie that she thought it might one day go further, but it just wasn't the time for that.

It was a Saturday morning and Rory and Paris sat in the kitchen of the Gilmore house discussing Paris' relationship with Doyle, while Rory tried quite unsuccessfully to feed her daughter in her highchair Luke had made.

"He was supposed to be a fling Rory, a one, maybe two time thing,…" Paris ranted as Ellie spat out her strained carrots.

"Ellie please." Rory said frustrated.

"Yeah, kid, orange is not your color." Paris added making a face at Ellie, she giggled in delight.

"I am glad you think this is funny." Rory said wiping of her chin.

"He was supposed to be a fling,…so why isn't he…flung…" Paris continued.

"Have you tried?"

"Repeatedly."

"And…?"

"And he just won't leave, I think I got it threw to him, and then, he'll call or show up, or say something that is half way intelligent and there we are again."

"It sounds like you are in a relationship Paris. I don't see why that is a bad thing, Doyle is a decent guy."

"Decent yes, but…I am young, I should be exploring trying new things…" Paris said looking at Rory desperately.

"Please don't look at me like that when you say trying new things." Rory said.

"Please, like you are my type Gilmore." Paris said nonchalantly.

"Whoa, I totally caught the wrong part of that conversation." Lorelai said walking into the kitchen.

"Paris is freaking because she thought that she was having a fling, but he isn't flung yet." Rory said filling in her mother.

"How did that get to you not being her type…"Lorelai said still confused.

"He won't go away Lorelai…" Paris said turning her attention to Lorelai.

"Well hon, have you told him to?"

"Not in so many words but, he isn't right for me. He is stubborn and pigheaded and…"

"He sounds perfect for you." Lorelai said turning her attention to her granddaughter. "Rory I don't think she wants that…" Lorelai said getting a cookie out of the cabinet and offering it to Ellie who took it and started to eat it.

"Thanks a lot mom."

"She didn't want that…"

"Well she has to learn that she doesn't always get what she wants just because she wants it, and she also has to learn that she can't live on junk food alone."

"You have been spending way too much time with Luke, you grew up eating junk food and you turned out fine, a little high strung, but otherwise fine." Lorelai said picking Ellie up out of her chair and dancing with her.

"Hello, girl in crisis here!" Paris shouted impatiently.

"Rory why don't you hang with Paris for a while and I will take Ellie with me, I have a few errands to run in town so she can have a stroller ride." Lorelai said.

"Are you sure?" Rory asked. She was starting to feel guiltier about asking for help with her daughter, she thought that they would be more self sufficient by now and the fact that they weren't made Rory a little uneasy.

"No prob Bob." Lorelai said.

"You do realize that you don't have to watch all her videos with her." Rory said.

"We can fix it!" Lorelai mocked grabbing the stroller and diaper bag off the desk in the hall. "Say bye bye to mommy." Lorelai said waving her hand at Rory.

"Bye, bye hon, I will save you from your crazy grandma later." She said with a laugh.

Lorelai stopped on the front lawn to get Ellie situated in her stroller. Her cute brunette baby pig tales bounced with glee when Lorelai produced another cookie and gave it to her as they started off. Their first stop was Lukes, as for any day of errands the first detail was coffee and lots of it.

They strolled into the diner and sat down at the corner table which Luke had taken to keeping empty for the girls and himself, it was just a little way for him to say, hey look everyone, I have a family and they sit here. His eyes caught Lorelais and he happily jogged over to their table.

"Now, if I ever saw trouble, it would be you two." Luke said with a smile.

"Hey hon, coffee to go and could you top off her juice please." Lorelai said hanging him a power puff girls sippy cup.

"No problem." Luke said giving Lorelai a kiss and then leaning down and kissing Ellie on the forehead and walking back to get their drinks.

"There you are." A familiar voice came from behind Lorelai.

"Mom?" She said turning around to find her mother looking at her annoyed.

"Yes, that would be me."

"What are you doing here?" Lorelai asked.

"What day is it Lorelai?"

"Saturday."

"Yes, and what did we discuss just last night at dinner?"

"You coming to Stars Hollow and helping with the wedding stuff I am doing today." Lorelai said hitting herself on the head, Ellie mocked the action and giggled. "I am sorry mom, I forgot, I gave Rory a break this morning and took Ellie and I just wasn't thinking, I am sorry."

"No harm done, I found you, and how is Ellie today." Emily said greeting her great granddaughter.

"She is good." Lorelai said with a smile.

"She smells like cookies." Emily said.

"Well mom, she ate one not too long ago, so I think that would explain it." Lorelai said.

"But it's only 11:15 a.m. and she has already had cookies. You are going to make her a diabetic I swear."

Luke returned with the drinks in just enough time to save Lorelai from a long winded lecture about proper nutrition of toddlers.

"Hello Emily." He said with a smile.

"Luke, how are things?" Emily asked politely.

"They are good thank you. I should actually get back to them. See you later." He said kissing Lorelai and crouching to Ellie. "And you and me have a date with Bob tonight." He said with a smile and walked away.

"Who is Bob?" Emily asked.

"Bob the Builder, he is a cartoon that she is in love with, and I think that Luke likes him as much as she does, it must be the flannel thing." Lorelai said laughing to herself.

"I may never understand you."

"I am counting on it." Lorelai said with a grin.

"So what is on the list."

"Well, I need to drop by the florist and ok the final flower arrangements, then a stop by Sookies to make sure she got the note about needing another layer of cake because this thing keeps growing, then to the Inn to make sure that the chairs have arrived and the carpet, for the isle."

"That is some list."

"That isn't all, I have my last dress fitting at five, I need to take up the hem on Daveys tux pants, finish Ellies dress, take in Rorys dress, that girl dropped that baby weight too fast if you ask me."

"Wow, that is some list…"

"Still not done. I have to pick up Lukes ring and take it to the engravers, decide what I am having engraved, go to the court house, pick up the marriage license, track the tent order and make sure that they will be arriving on Friday, so that I can I have the guys set them up."

"Lorelai why isn't Luke helping you with some of this."

"He has his own list mom, and it is almost longer than mine." Lorelai said defensively.

"Okay, okay no need to get snippy, lets get a move on then." Emily said hurrying Lorelai on her way.

Meanwhile back at the Gilmore house….

"So what about you and Mr. Were Just Friends." Paris asked.

"We are just friends." Rory said defensively.

"How long are you going to keep up this act."

"There is no act Paris." Rory said folding one of Ellies jumpers and putting it in her drawer.

"He comes over what, two, three times a week? You let him watch your daughter for you…half of the stories I hear you tell when they aren't about your off spring are about him."

"Paris, we are just friends I wouldn't do that to Marty, I wouldn't take that kind of step with him." Rory said frustrated with her friend.

"Do what to him? Make him date the girl he has been pining for since the day she found him naked in the hallway? You're right, how dare you do that to him Gilmore." Paris said.

"You know what I mean, it isn't just me in the deal anymore."

"You said it yourself he is crazy about that drool factory you have."

"Sure, he does he comes over, he plays with her, loads her full of cookies and spins her around, he loves that stuff, I love that stuff, but then he goes and he isn't hear for the teeth coming in all night and the fevers, and the up all nights and the millions of diapers, the clothes that all smell of baby food, the stuff in his hair and the constant worry if you are doing this right."

"I think we got off of Marty there for a minute." Paris said sitting beside her friend.

"I didn't think it would be this hard Paris." Rory said putting her head in her hands. "I love Ellie, more than anything, but I never thought that it would be this hard. I thought that we would be out of here by now, we would be up on our own. It is so hard Paris and just when I think that we finally have it, something happens to make me think that there us no way. And I can't bring Marty into my world when I don't even know how to be in my world. I know I love her, but I don't know if I am giving her what she needs, I have never done anything that I couldn't be clearly graded on, you know,…no one is going to say, you are a good mom, here is an A."

"Rory…" Paris said looking her friend in the eye. "You are a good mom, you get an A."

Rory smiled.

"And you deserve to be happy and if he makes you happy, I think he knows that Ellie is not going anywhere."

"I know."

"So you had a kid…that doesn't mean that suddenly you can't have a social life. You are one hot momma, do something about it." Paris said.

Lorelai and Emily walked into the room.

"I swear Paris, you have to stop hitting on my daughter." Lorelai said walking in and handing Ellie to Rory.

"She stinks, she wants you." Lorelai said.

"You'll feed her cookies all day but the second that she has to be changed…" Rory started.

"I am the grandma, it is my prerogative."

"What are you doing back so soon anyway?" Rory said wiping her daughter's bottom.

"Ah…I forgot the list of possibilities to have engraved on Lukes ring." Lorelai said.

"I thought you decided on that already." Rory said.

"She has changed her mind six times just on the way over here." Emily said.

"Is I love you too expected?" Paris asked.

"That is what I said." Emily said.

"He knows that." Lorelai said.

"Well what happened to the 'you are the perfect man' thing?"

"Ehh, that hit the floor hours ago. I want something more…I don't know, this is a permanent thing you know."

"So we would hope." Emily said.

"What does dads ring say?"

"It has the date of our wedding inscribed."

"That's it?"

"That's it, what more do you want, a novel?" Emily said looking at her daughter.

This was going to be a long week, Lorelai thought to herself as the troupe exited the house, and the fur was sure too fly before all was said and done. She hadn't told Emily yet but Mai was going to be there helping out for most of the week as well, and Lorelai could only imagine the guilt trip that would begin after her mother found out.

…….

Across town on the top of a grassy hill, Luke stood in front of two markers. He held his hat in his hands as he bowed his head to talk.

"I know, I don't come here, as much as I should, but there is something that I wanted to tell you. I know you can hear me…" His voice shook a little as he wiped a tear away. "I am getting married in a week. To a wonderful woman, who I am very much in love with, and the funny thing is she loves me too. Look at you two, you had 22 years under your belt before mom past away, and dad you spent every day after that waiting to join her. I hope I can be that for Lorelai, I don't want to mess this up you know? I just…she is…I can't imagine waking up one day with out her there, and dad I don't know how you did it. She has a daughter…her name is Lorelai too, we call her Rory, she looks just like her mom, and she is so smart and she just…she has the world at her fingers you know…I have watched her grow up. She got into this fancy school and did really well, and even went to Yale. She has a daughter now, her name is Lorelai too, I know, they are a little crazy but I love them. We call her Ellie, she is just…she makes me really remember why my life was so great as a kid. She calls me papa, or I mean, I guess she would if she could talk. Rory calls me her papa, and that is even better. The thing is…I didn't just fall in love with Lorelai, I love them all, each one in a different way, and each one…shows me something that I didn't think I would see again…after you both were gone. I put so much energy into not caring anymore, and then, there they were…" Luke sniffed a little.

"I hope you can see them, and I hope you know that I still miss you, every day, but I smile now, for them. And, if I can be half the husband and father you were dad, I know I will do just fine. Man, I wish you were here, I wish you could meet her, you'd love her dad, she is a real looker as you would say. And mom, she is so good hearted, she treats me good, I promise. Anyway, I just wanted to…tell you…and let you know, I am doing great, and I may not come see you as much anymore, but I hope you understand…they need me. I still love you and I miss you every day…" Luke said letting the tears fall, it was then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to hope those things Lucas." A familiar voice said to him.

"What are you doing here?" He said turning and wiping his face.

"I was coming to tell them, what a wonderful woman you had found and how lucky she and Rory and Ellie are to have you." Mia said.

"I mean in Stars Hollow."

"I am here for the wedding silly, I am sure that you two need all the help you can get." Mia said with a smile.

"Lorelai will be so happy to see you."

"I hope you are as well."

"I am. I am." He said hugging her.

"Lucas, I want you to know, that I care for Lorelai and Rory as though they were my own flesh and blood, and to see her with you now, and getting married. It makes me so proud, of both of you. I know you will be everything they need, just as I know they are everything you need dear." Mia said so sure of her words that Luke couldn't doubt her. "They would be very proud of you dear, just as I am."

They stood there in silence for a moment and Mai squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Should we go find our girls?" Mai said after a moment.

"They should be at the diner any time now for dinner." Luke said with a smile.

"Well what are we waiting for."

The two walked down the hill towards town, talking about the things that still needed to be done before the wedding. He could hardly believe that it was only seven days until he was going to be married to Lorelai on the grounds of the Inn under he chuppa he had built for her all those years ago, it had only taken nine years to get there, but he couldn't have imagined it any other way.


	14. Chapter 14: You’re cordially invited

Disclaimer: I wrote this prior to the 2-8-05 episode, I swear on all that is holy, if you don't believe me ask Fred...anyway any similaries between the two are conicidental. I own nothing.

**Chapter 14: You're cordially invited**

_I, Rory Gilmore,_

_Happily invite you_

_To the marriage of my mother,_

_Lorelai Victoria Gilmore,_

_To Lucas Daniel Danes,_

_On Augest 3rd, 2005._

_They said it wouldn't last..._

_But I always knew it would..._

_Join us as we celebrate our new family._

_Haven't we all waited long enough?_

It was the day of days…the one so many had waited for, for so long. None had waited as long as Luke or Lorelai though…they had both waited all their lives for this, both had, had the chance with others, but never felt as sure, as they did this day.

"How are we doing?" Richard said walking into the honeymoon sweet where Lorelai was getting dressed.

"We are doing great." Rory said fluffing out Lorelai's train. Slowly Lorelai turned around and let her father see her for the first time in her gown.

Richard did not expect to be taken back by his daughter, nor did he expect to be filled with a flood of emotions he hadn't felt since she was a little girl. He took in a breath and let it out slowly to keep his tears at bay.

"You look…" he said clearing his throat. "You look beautiful Lorelai." He said leaning in and kissing her cheek.

"That she does." Emily said emerging from the other room with Ellie. "And this one is all done too."

"Well look at that." Richard said looking at the four woman standing before him.

"I would rather enjoy a picture of the four of you, you are certainty a beautiful site for an old dogs eyes." Richard said. The women looked at each other and Ellie cooed.

"Four generations of Gilmore women." Emily said blotting a tear away.

"It's really something." Richard said.

……

Upstairs in another room at the Dragonfly, Mazzie and Liz were fussing over Luke like he were a child.

"Hold still." Liz said attempting to straighten Luke's tie again.

"Here let me." Mazzie said stepping in.

"Okay, I think he has been primped enough." Buddy said standing up and walking over to his wife. "Would you ladies give us men a moment?" Buddy said giving his wife a meaningful look.

"Of course." Mazzie said kissing her husband on the cheek.

"We will be out in a second." Buddy said.

The women walked out of the room as Luke examined himself in the mirror.

"You clean up nice." Buddy said patting him on the shoulder.

"It is amazing what a bar of soap and some hair gel can do." Luke said with a smile.

"Uh, Luke…I have something that Mazzie and I wanted to give you." Buddy said pulling a pocket watch out of his inside jacket pocket and presenting it to Luke.

"Oh, Buddy, you didn't have to do this…" Luke said shifting his weight nervously.

"Well, I didn't I mean, I did, but…your dad gave me that when I was the best man at your folks wedding." Buddy said.

Luke opened the watch and choked up a little when he saw the picture on the inside it's lid.

"The picture was Mazzie's idea….it is from their wedding. They would be proud of you son…" Buddy said patting him on the back.

Overcome with his thoughts and emotions, Luke just nodded.

"Are you ready for this?" Buddy asked him.

"I have never been more ready for anything in my life." Luke said with a smile.

"That's a good man." Buddy said.

Just then Sookie popped her head in.

"Are we ready in here?" She asked.

"Yeah." Luke said.

"You look so handsome…oh give me a hug." Sookie said crying and hugging Luke. "You are getting married…" She said. She squeezed him and kissed him on the cheek. "Ooo…oopps, can't have you waiting for Lorelai with lip stick on your cheek." Sookie said licking her finger and going for Luke's face.

"I've got it Sookie." Luke said grabbing a Kleenex and shielding himself from her potential spit bath.

"Okay, okay…on with the show." Buddy said breaking up the insanity for a moment.

……..

There were white tents set up on the lawn of the Dragonfly for the reception. The tables were adorned in simple red table cloths and topped with tall glass vases holding three white Calla lilies each around the bottom of the vase there were tall white candles in varying heights illuminating the tables in their soft light. Under the shelter of the tents a million white twinkle lights hung further illuminating the white canopy.

As the sun began to set in the west and the heat from the day had finally broken, the fireflies began their dance under the trees and in the cool damp grass. The isle was set up under the two oak trees on the east side of the Inn. A white carpet lay in the grass separating the two sets of white chairs on either side of it. Candelabras of white and cream candles lit the isle on each side. At the end of the isle almost directly between the two old oaks stood the chuppa that Luke has built Lorelai all those years ago.

At about 5:30 the guests began to filter in armed with their handkerchiefs and Kleenex to dry the tears they knew they were certain to cry this night. Not tears of sadness, not a one, all tears of happiness from seeing two people who were close to so many, find happiness and never ending love in each other.

Buddy and Luke took their spot at the end of that isle as the towns people looked on in silence. A string quartet situated to the far left of the chuppa took it's cue and began to softly play.

In the honey moon suit only a few feet away…Lorelai looked at herself again in the mirror. Her ivory colored dress was simple and flowing, she wore no shoes on her feel, much to the chagrin of her mother. Her hair was done in her usual beautiful waves, with just a few twists with small flowers peaking out. She took in a deep breath as she turned to her daughter.

"You look beautiful mom." Rory said allowing a tear to form and fall in the corner of her eye.

"Don't you go crying on me now…" Lorelai said blotting the corners of her eyes.

"I love you." Rory said, handing her mother her bouquet of white lilies and red roses and kissing her on the cheek. "See you out there?" Rory said.

"See you out there." Lorelai whispered as Rory walked out of the room with Ellie, Sookie and Davey.

At the end of the isle sat a white wagon filled with rose petals. Rory sat her daughter still to small to walk down the isle inside and handed three year old Davey the handle to pull her down the isle. Everyone chuckled as they passed, not only because Ellie had taken to eating the roses, but also because of the sign attached to the back…it read in big red letters; The Bride is Coming. Once at the end of the isle Sookie pulled the kids off to the side to sit with she and Jackson. Rory then made her way down the isle to wait for her mother.

In the room Lorelai and Richard stood in silence waiting for their cue, as the cello began to play Richard patted Lorelai's hand in the crook of his arm and smiled.

"They are playing our song." Richard said with a smile kissing his daughter on the cheek and clearing his throat as he walked her out the door.

Everyone stood when they saw Lorelai and Richard appear at the end of the isle. Slowly, they walked down the isle. Luke looked as though he could be knocked over with a feather at the sight of his bride, and when their eyes met, they both smiled that smile everyone had come to know and love, the one that was only meant for the other. Lorelai laughed nervously as she wiped a tear away. Lorelai locked eyes with her Luke and everyone around her disappeared. Once at the end of the isle Richard looked a Lorelai one last time, and kissed her cheek. And everyone saw as he whispered something in her ear, but no one heard but Lorelai as he said the words that were said so few times between them through the years.

Lorelai smiled as her father took his seat by her mother who was busy blotting her eyes with her handkerchief. As Luke took Lorelais hand and placed in his arm, she felt more sure of that moment than any moment before or since.

The couple whispered 'I love you' to one and other as they turned to face Reverend Skinner who began their ceremony.

"Good Evening, we all know why we are gathered here tonight. We are all joined here as the sunsets to celebrate the joining of Luke and Lorelai in Holy matrimony. When they asked if I would perform the ceremony for them tonight, I was honored. It seems to all that this night has been a lifetime in the making. They have known each other since Lorelai first blew into our sleepy little town almost twenty one years ago. They have been close friends in the more recent years, and over the last two years we have all been lucky enough to watch that friendship turn into the kind of love that only a rare few are lucky enough to find. He was the one that she could turn to when she needed someone, and slowly she fell in love with the man who started off as just a friend. She was the bane of his existence, having loved her silently for years and not saying a word until the faithful night two years ago when he, with a kiss, let her know, all the things he had been feeling for her for years. So tonight, as the sun sets in the sky, it also sets on their lives as single people, and it will rise tomorrow, a new day and the start of a new life, that they will share with one and other forever." The reverend looked up at the couple and their gathered guests and smiled.

"If you would turn and face each other." The reverend instructed. "The couple has prepared a little something that they wanted to say to each other, they will do this now. Luke…"

Luke's eyes locked on hers as he began to speak.

"You know I am not a man of many words, and I don't know what to say other than, it's you...it has always been you. And today I am proud that I am not just going to be your husband, but also a step father to your equally amazing daughter and grandfather to Ellie. And I promise that I will always be the man, that the three of you can count on."

Lorelai squeezed his hands tightly as she smiled and teared up.

"Luke,…for a long time…you were just the guy behind the counter who kept me in coffee. Over the years you have come to be known as several other things to me…Mr. Backwards Baseball Hat, my Ice Man, my Burger Boy, my Coffee King, my Hero. But no matter what I have called you, no matter how cute the nick name or title, I gave you…none of them no matter what they were, is as good as the one I get to call you from now on, and that is my husband. For a long time I thought…and I was saddened by the fact that I knew that Rory was growing up with out a guy in her life, I was sad I was raising her without a guy in mine, but I also knew it couldn't be just any guy either. Then, about two years ago, it occurred to me, when you kissed me for the first time right over there…that she wasn't growing up without a man in her life, nor was I raising her without a man in mine. You have always been there for Rory and I, through thick and thin,…you have always been the guy we could turn to when we needed something fixed, when we needed to be fed, when we needed coffee, and you were always there, when I needed a good friend to talk to, or to cry to, you were there when Rory needed you too you were there the day she graduated high school, the day she went off to Yale, the night Ellie our beautiful granddaughter was born, you have always been there, and I promise you I will always be there for you just like you have always been for us. You are my knight in flannel armor…" She said with a laugh and a tear.

"May I have the rings?" Rev. Skinner asked turning to Buddy who placed the two rings in his hand.

"Luke do you promise to love, Lorelai, through the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, forsaking all others until death parts you?"

"I do." Luke said looking into Lorelai's eyes.

"And do you Lorelai, do you promise to love, Lorelai, through the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, forsaking all others until death parts you?"

"I do." Luke said.

"May I have the rings please?" Reverend Skinner asked taking the rings from Buddy.

"May these rings serve as an outward symbol of the internal love you have for one and other…Luke please place this ring on her finger and repeat after me…I Lucas Daniel Danes, choose you Lorelai Victoria Gilmore above all others to be my wife," The Reverend said.

"I Lucas Daniel Danes, choose you Lorelai Victoria Gilmore above all others to be my wife, " Luke repeated.

"And I offer you this ring as a token of our love and with it join my life with yours."

"And I offer you this ring as a token of our love and with it join my life with yours." Luke said sliding the ring onto Lorelai's shaking finger.

"Lorelai…please place this ring on Luke as you repeat after me…I Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, choose you Lucas Daniel Danes above all others to be my husband," Reverend Skinner instructed.

"I Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, choose you Lucas Daniel Danes above all others to be my husband," Lorelai said fumbling the ring a bit getting it to his finger.

"And I offer you this ring as a token of our love and with it join my life with yours."

"And I offer you this ring as a token of our love and with it join my life with yours." Lorelai said sliding the ring all the way onto his finger.

"By the powers vested in my by the state of Connecticut, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Luke, you may kiss your bride."

Luke turned and looked at Lorelai for a moment before he placed his hand on her cheek and gently kissed her their first kiss of their life as husband and wife.

"Ladies and Gentleman, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Luke and Lorelai Danes."

Everyone stood up and clapped as Luke and Lorelai turned to walk back down the isle. Rory followed quickly behind them, in the excitement and illation of the moment, Luke and Lorelai didn't notice the person who snuck in and took the last seat in the back row, but Rory did and she knew before the night was over, she was going to have to come face to face, with him.

-

Do you want to know who it is? Cool, I will tell you...once you let me know what you think...I know...I am evil...buwahh ha ha ha!


	15. Chapter 15: At Last

Disclaimer: These are Amy's but I can play right?

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update…I have been swamped, let me know what you think, it makes me want to keep writing. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Miss Wallow

Chapter 15: At Last

It was seven o'clock and everyone had gathered under the tents for Luke and Lorelai's wedding reception. The guests were milling around chatting about the ceremony and admiring the tables and the cake, while feasting on the delicious appetizers that Sookie has prepared for the evening. Everyone found the wedding favors humorous and sweet considering the story that Lorelai still liked to tell people about she and Lukes first date. So it was only fitting that they had poker chips personalized for their event, engraving their names and the date on one side, and the worlds "They're all in." on the other.

Rory had successfully avoided him since the ceremony, but she knew that her luck would eventually fade. She watched him from across the room as he fiddled with one of the poker chips rolling it over his knuckles looking so disinterested she wondered why he came in the first place. Her thoughts were broken when Marty walked up to Rory with Ellie.

"Hey there mama…" Marty said allowing Ellie to lean herself out for her mother to take her.

"Hey baby girl." Rory said with a smile allowing for a moment the thoughts of dread she had to fade away.

"That was a really beautiful ceremony." Marty said.

"Yeah, it was…" Rory said checking over her shoulder to see if he was watching them, he was no longer sitting in the corner, she hopped that he had left, he had been there, made his presence known and then left once the obligation had been filled. That would be just like him.

"Rory?" Marty said pulling her back to earth.

"Huh?" Rory said startling back into the moment.

"Where were you just then it was as if you were a million miles from here." Marty asked concerned.

"I am fine, sorry, it's been a big day you know."

"Have you eaten anything?" Marty asked.

"Not for a while." Rory admitted.

"I am going to get you something." Marty said.

Before she could tell him that he didn't have to do that he had already turned and walked away. Ms. Patty and Babette stormed in, in his wake.

"Oh what a beautiful ceremony that was…" Babette said in her usual two registers too high tone.

"Yeah…" Rory agreed.

"Did you see who snuck in that back…that little good for nothing…little punk, you keep yourself away from him sweetie…he spells trouble." Ms. Patty said.

"Don't I know it." Rory mumbled under her breath as the women walked away. Rorys eyes scanned the room as Ellie wiggled in her arms. She didn't see him anymore, she thought he must have left. Rory turned around when she felt at tap on her shoulder, and expected to find Marty, she was filled with shock when she turned and came face to face with him.

"What are you doing here?" Rory asked.

"What's the matter cuz?" Jess said arrogantly.

"What's the matter is…who sneaks into a wedding…"

"I didn't sneak, relax, I was invited. I am after all family." Jess said.

"Who knew you understood such obligations." Rory said rudely.

"This must be Ellie." Jess said allowing Ellie to take his outstretched finger.

"Yes, it is." Rory said.

"She is a good looking kid. She has your eyes." Jess said as if he were the first one to tell her that.

"I know."

Marty walked up behind Rory and nudged her shoulder.

"Sorry to interrupt…here you go Rory." Marty said handing her the appetizers and taking Ellie from her. Once he had a hand free he outstretched it to Jess.

"I don't think we have met. I'm Marty Rory's…" he began but Rory had an idea and finished his thought for him.

"Oh I am sorry." Rory said interrupting. "Yes, Marty this is Jess, Jess this is Marty, Marty is my boyfriend."

Marty tried to hide the shocked look on his face. Rory glanced at him abruptly and squeezed his arm.

"Yes, I am Rory's boyfriend." Marty said.

"Jess Mariano, I am Luke's nephew."

Just then Marty put it all together Rory had told him many a story about Jess and the many different ways he chose to break a heart.

"Nice to meet you man." Marty said lying through his teeth and putting his arm around Rory, if she was up for the charade, so was he.

Kirk came over the microphone at that moment, preventing any further conversation between the three.

"Ladies and Gentleman…I am pleased to announce for the first time…Mr. and Mrs. Luke and Lorelai Danes!" Kirk said in his best announcer voice.

Luke and Lorelai hurried in after their introduction and took their place center floor.

"And now, ladies and gentleman here they are for their first dance as husband and wife…" Kirk said.

The string quartet began to play as Patty took the microphone from Kirk and began to sing the most fitting song in the word for the two of them.

"At last my love has come along, my lonely days are over and life is like a song. Ohh yeah yeah, At last the skies above are blue. My heart was wrapped up in clover.  
The night I looked at you." Patty sang the song for her friends with a smile and a tear.

Luke and Lorelai spun and laughed like two kids in love, and in a way they were. There was not another soul in that room beside the two of them it seemed, or at least that was the way they looked at each other. They didn't speak, their language was of looks, Lorelai would throw her head back in laughter momentarily and Luke would just smile.

"At this time Luke and Lorelai would like to invite all the other couple out on the floor to join them." Kirk said as Patty took a pause.

Rory took the opportunity to get Marty away from Jess, and reveal to him the rest of her plan. She walked over to Paris and handed Ellie off to her.

"Watch her for a second, we are going to dance." Rory said hurried in a frenzy of thoughts.

"But you guys aren't ..." Paris started but it was too late Rory was already out on the floor dancing close to Marty.

"Ok, here is the deal, you are my boyfriend we have been together a while. We met at Yale, we then fell in love and now you spend part time at Yale and the other part with me and Ellie here."

"How is that different than the truth other than my title?" Marty asked trying to use the situation to his advantage with her.

"Marty, it just is. Okay, okay he is looking over here." Rory said and went in for the kill and kissed Marty much to his surprise and delight. Jess wasn't the only one who saw, Lorelai and Paris both got an eye full too and wondered what had gotten in to Rory.

As they broke away from their kiss Rory looked at Marty and for a moment, in the dancing candle light…thought about him again, in a way she said she never would.

"You are a good actor." Rory said instead of admitting the way she truly felt.

"Rory, I wasn't acting…I have wanted to kiss you since the day I met you." Marty said coming clean before her. "I don't want to pretend to be your boyfriend Rory, I want to be your boyfriend, I want to be there for you…I lo…" Marty didn't get a chance to finish before Rory dropped his hand and rushed away.

Paris and Lorelai perhaps the only two watching the couple more closely than Jess watched as she rushed out from the shelter of the tent and into the darkness towards the Inn. It may have been her wedding day, but she was still Rory's mother, so Lorelai excused herself from Luke and the many people offering their congratulations and along with Paris and Ellie went off to find Rory.

They found her sitting on a bench at the bottom of the hill from the reception. As Lorelai and Paris came to sit on either side of her, Rory didn't move or react.

"So…what was with the kiss?" Lorelai asked her daughter, putting her arm around her.

"Did you see who is there?" Rory said.

"Jess?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah."

"You knew he would be there." Lorelai said.

"No I didn't, I knew he was invited. I knew you asked him, I didn't know he would come, why would he come? He knows, I am a mother now, he knows we are doing fine…"

"Honey…I hate to break it to you, but maybe he is just here to see his uncle get married." Lorelai said.

"Then why did he have to talk to me?"

"Because he didn't want to be rude?" Paris interjected.

"I told him that Marty and I were together." Rory said.

"Why would you do that?" Lorelai said.

"I was scared…" Rory said.

"She is a fear dater." Paris said getting looks from

both women. "Sorry." She said. "I will take Ellie back up there." Paris said.

"Tell them we will be up in a minute." Lorelai said as Paris began to walk away.

"Mom, come on, I am fine, I am sorry, I am keeping you this is your wedding night…we should be celebrating."

"And we will, just as soon as you tell me what was

with that kiss Rory, that wasn't just a pretend kiss." Lorelai said.

"It was supposed to be…it really was and when it wasn't, when it didn't feel like a fake kiss, I told him that he was a good actor. That back fired though and he went into this speech about how he didn't want to act with me and I am pretty sure if I hadn't dropped and bolted that he was about to say something that would make us incapable of going back to being just friends, and I don't want to lose him as a friend mom." Rory said.

"Then I think you better take this chance with him honey. It is no secret that you have feelings for him, I don't want you to be afraid of them, I don't want you to be a 37 year old bride because you are scared of something." Lorelai said.

"I am scared." Rory said.

"Good. I would be worried if you weren't scared." Lorelai said kissing her daughters forehead.

"I guess I should find him?" Rory said.

"I think he's found you." Lorelai said standing as she saw Marty walking up.

"We will be up in a second." Rory told her.

"Take your time…just remember, your grandma has already hit the bottle and Ms.Patty and Babette are circling the cake like sharks."

Nervously Marty sat at Rory's side.

"I didn't get a chance to finish what I was about to say." Marty said.

"I know…and before you do, I have to tell you something. I want nothing more, than to be with you Marty, you have been the best friend a girl could have over the last few months with Ellie and before when we were both at school. And I value that friendship, and I don't want to lose it, and I don't want to ruin it, or complicate it. I know you, know what it is like with Ellie most of the time, but she isn't always a happy baby, she crys and gets up at night, and she will always be there, we won't have a lot of time for just you and me, and I need you to know that now, before we go any further. She is the number one thing in my life, you will always be number two, no matter how long we might be together, my first thought will always be my daughter."

"I know that, and that is just one of the many reasons that I have fallen in love with you. I know…I know that Ellie is your daughter, and I love her, she is great, and I realize that babies cry and demand attention, attention that I am happy to give up from you and give to her. I want to be a part of your life, and hers, I love you Rory, in spite and for all the things that you just said, and I don't see that changing any time soon." Marty said leaning in to her.

"Marty…" Rory started to say before he silenced her with a kiss.

She realized then that neither one of them could predict what was to come for them, but no one could predict what the future would hold. They just had to jump in and find out.

Marty stood up and took her hand as they walked back up the hill to the reception. Lorelai saw them walking in holding hands and knew that it wasn't part of an act. She smiled at her daughter, she was proud of her for being brave enough to let herself fall, even if it meant, she could get hurt. Rory took her seat by her mother at the head table and Marty sat down by Paris and the Ellie. Rory watched as Ellie giggled with glee when she saw Marty and wiggled until she was free of Paris and happily sitting on his knee. She smiled and waved over to her daughter catching Marty's eye. He took Ellie's chubby little hand and waved it at Rory.

Buddy stood up and tapped his glass with his knife handle, calling everyone's attention to the front.

"I have known Luke since he was a baby, I was best man at his parents wedding and now all these years later, I am honored that he chose me for the same job at his own wedding. Mazzie and I have watched these two from their first date until now, falling more in love with one and other each moment they spend together, they have always reminded us of another couple we knew…William and Isabel Danes were two of the finest human beings that I have ever known, and they would be proud today of their son, and his beautiful new wife, may they always look down over your new family Luke and keep you safe, and in love. Congratulations." Buddy said raising his glass. It was now Rory's turn.

"My mother has taught me everything I know. She taught me how to tie my shoes, read a book, drink coffee in mass quantities." Everyone chuckled. "But the best lesson she has ever taught me is love. You can't always predict when love will find you, it may take months, or years, but it will, and when it does, there is something that makes you just know…that it is right. My mom knew that when she first met Luke…it just took her a while to figure it out. I have known Luke for a long time in fact I can't recall a day in my life that he wasn't in it. He has always been there for me, there for my daughter and most importantly for my mother, so today, I am so happy, not only because my mother, my best friend, has found love that will last a life time. But also because our family is finally complete. Mom, Luke, may we always be as happy as we are today, and may the years to come be filled with joy and love. I love you guys." Rory said raising her glass and clinking it with her mothers.

After the toasts were done through it was time for cake. Lorelai and Luke stood to the side of the cake holding the knife to the cake while Monica, the minorly crazy, but majorly sweet photographer from the Stars Hollow gazette tried to get the perfect shot.

"Luke turn just a little to the left." Monica said. Luke turned a little to the left. "I'm sorry, I meant to the right." Monica said giggling at herself.

"She doesn't know right from left yet, and we are letting her photograph our wedding." Luke said under his breath through his fake smile.

"She is a sweet kid, and she does good work." Lorelai said through her smile.

"Ok now Lorelai bend your elbow just a little more…" Monica said shifting her camera in her hands.

It was then Rory noticed the distressed looks on her parent's faces and swooped in.

"That is it, it is perfect, just like that…take it, take it." Rory said prompting Monica along. Two quick flashes and it was over.

She kept snapping away as Lorelai and Luke actually cut into the cake and fed each it each other. To every ones shock Lorelai did not smash it into Luke's face, she simply fed it to him tenderly.

Jess wandered over to Rory as she watched them feeding each other the cake.

"So…" He said standing beside her staring straight ahead.

"So what…" Rory asked not turning or breaking her smile.

"So, I just wanted to tell you congratulations. On everything...Ellie…your mom and Luke…what's his name." Jess said.

"His name is Marty." Rory said still not turning away."Right Marty." Jess said faking interest.

"Did you have something to say or did you just want to see what kind of damage you could do." Rory said smiling and low so no one would hear her or think they were arguing.

" Rory, I am not trying to start anything. I just wanted to tell you that and then I was going to go."

"Then go." Rory said looking at him.

"Rory…wait." Jess said as she walked away from him.

She walked into a far corner of the tents.

"Jess, really, I have nothing to say to you, any need for you and the last reason to ever see each other again has juat past, so please, just go." Rory said.

"Rory."

"No, Jess, no Rory, no nothing. I am not going to talk to you and pretend that everything is just ducky, okay, I am not wasting my time. I am glad you came, I am glad because I know it made Luke happy, but don't get that confused with me, it did not make me happy. You and I are done, finished in every way." Rory said.

"Fine, I will say good-bye to Luke and I will be on my way, have fun with your phony boyfriend." Jess said turning around to face Marty.

"Who are you calling phony, punk?" Marty said unusually gruffly.

"Come on man, don't let her use you." Jess said.

"She is not using me." Marty said.

"You think I am going to fall for the, this is my……boyfriend that's right boyfriend…thing."

"Back off." Marty said.

"I can't believe she found herself another doormat…" Jess said.

"Jess, stop it just go." Rory said trying to keep people from staring at them.

"She isn't using me, Rory and I are together, you aren't with her, you will never be with her again, understand." Marty said in his most threatening voice.

Jess puffed up and sighed angrily, he knew he was beat, he couldn't fight him there, even if he wasn't with Rory, there was no real way for him to prove it and he couldn't find the reason to. The only thing he was going to do by fighting was prove to everyone there that he was the same punk kid they all remembered him to be.

"Jess, you need to leave." Rory said.

"Tell Lurch here to get out of my way and I am gone." He said.

"Marty, please." Rory said and Marty stepped out of his way and they watched as Jess, went over and shook hands with Luke and left just as quickly as he came.

"You okay?" Marty asked her touching her arm.

"Yeah, I am fine, he was just being Jess, I don't know why I let him upset me like that."

"Hey you don't have to explain anything to me." Marty said.

"I know. Let's go relive Paris of her Ellie duties for the evening…I should be getting her home to bed soon." Rory said.

She was gathering up their things when Luke walked up to Rory.

"That was a very nice speech." Luke said.

"It's true."

"Listen…" Luke started but stopped as he was blinded by the flash of Monica's camera.

Rory took note of Luke's growing impatience with her and swooped in again to save her.

"Hey Monica." Rory said.

"Yeah Rory." She said happily.

"Would you be a dear and go take a few more pictures of the cake after it has been cut, and uh the ice sculpture…and uh…oh see Taylor over there? Luke would really like a photo of him with Kirk. If you could pose them, I don't know holding hands or something…that would be great. Just tell Kirk, Luke wants it, he will make it happen for you." Rory said.

"Okay Rory, I can do that." Monica said bouncing off.

"That was mean." Luke said.

"She is a nice girl, a little out there but nice, she will get that picture." Rory said.

"Can't wait to see it, anyway Rory, listen it is getting late, and I know you will be wanting to get Ellie home soon." Luke said.

"Yeah she is passed out on Marty." Rory said.

"Well, before you head out. I wanted to give you these." Luke said handing her a set of keys.

"What is this?"

"It is the keys to the apartment above the diner. I know you have been saving to get a place for you and Ellie, it is yours if you want it for as long as you need it." Luke said.

"I can't…Luke…"

"Yes, you can, in fact, the painters finished two days ago and the movers were working all day while we were here, all your stuff, is there, all of Ellie's too." He said.

"You had them move our stuff." Rory said.

"Yeah, I hope you aren't mad." Luke said.

"Mad, Luke…no…thank you so much." Rory said hugging him.

"So she liked it?" Lorelai said walking up to them.

"You knew about this?" Rory said.

"I knew. I helped." Lorelai said.

"You haven't kept a secret a day in your life." Rory said.

"I kept this one." Lorelai said with a smile.

Just then they were interrupted by an angered Taylor hurrying away from Kirk and Monica quick on their tale.

"Taylor, come back…Luke wants a picture." Kirk called as he jogged after him.

"What was that about?" Lorelai asked as they laughed.

She didn't have a chance to get an answer before Marty walked up holding a crying Ellie. He was rocking and singing to her but it didn't seem to help.

"She woke up when Taylor went running by and I think she is scared." Marty said handing Ellie to Rory once in her mothers arms she layed her head down and stopped crying.

"Thanks Marty." Rory said giving him a peck.

"No problem." He said.

"Hey Marty can I talk to you for a second?" Luke said nodding him away from the girls.

"Yeah sure." He said walking with Luke.

Lorelai and Rory watched as their men walked away from them.

"I hear you are with Rory now." Luke said putting his hand on Marty's shoulder.

"Yeah. It is great. I really love her." Marty said smiling.

"You really love her, well that's good. Marty, I have always liked you, thought you were a good guy, but now that you are dating my daughter,...I have to tell you if you hurt either one of those girls, you will wish you never met me. You understand." Luke said.

"Yes sir." Marty said his voice cracking in the middle.

"Good, glad to hear." Luke said shaking his hand.

As they walked back over to the group, Marty felt a little scared of Luke, but at the same time really happy that they had that talk.

"All right Marty. I have to get this one to bed. Do you want to come see my new apartment?" Rory said.

Luke shot Marty a look.

"I would love to…" Marty said as Luke glared at him. "But only for a minute, I have to get some studying done tomorrow." Marty said looking at Luke who nodded his approval of the move.

"Ok." Rory said. "Night mom." She said hugging her mother. "Night Luke." She said kissing his cheek. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Luke said. He stopped Marty as they started to walk away and whispered to him.

"Remember what I said."

Marty swallowed hard and turned to follow Rory.

Lorelai smiled as she looked at Luke.

"What did you say to him?" Lorelai said.

"I told him if he hurt our kid, I would kill him." Luke said.

"Luke!"

"Not in so many words, I just told him he would wish he didn't know me."

"Mr. Protective." Lorelai said with a laugh.

"Of you guys, yes." Luke said.

"Today…good?" Lorelai asked.

"Today very good." Luke said untying his bow tie.

"Good."

"So…uh…you want to find what is under this dress?" Lorelai said with a sly grin.

"More than anything I have wanted in my life." Luke said.

Lorelai took his hand as they scurried off to the honey moon suit. As the bride and groom took their leave the party went on in their absence and didn't stop until almost two in the morning. Taylor finally gave in and took the picture with Kirk. Andrew helped get Patty and Babette home. And Jackson and Sookie were the last two on the dance floor. It was a night that no one in Stars Hollowwould soon forget and the happiest day of Luke and Lorelai's lives.


	16. Chapter 16: The more things change

**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I borrow them.

**A/N:** This very well could be the last chapter…let me know what you think. Please read and review, I need the input to decide this fictions fate, if it is done here, or if I go on…maybe I leave this one and start another a few years from now. I would love to hear what you thought of it as a whole and what you think about it living on. Thanks to all who have reviewed and all who will review I appreciate it! Miss Wallow.

**Chapter 15: The more things change…**

The town was still buzzing about the recent nuptials of two of it's most beloved residents when they returned from their honeymoon two weeks after their wedding. People had been talking about the wedding non-stop since they left. It was the most waited union everyone agreed, in Stars Hollow history, and a love story that would surly be told for a long time to come. There was just something romantic about their story. Loving each other in silence for years, becoming friends and then after much time and heart break for both they found their happily ever after in each other.

Luke could have done with going home and catching a shower before heading out into town, but Lorelai was insistent upon getting to the Diner to see her daughter and granddaughter right away.

Rory had spent the last two weeks in a love haze all her own, and adding in the newly found freedom of her own apartment she was finally starting to feel like an independent woman again rather than a child living at home again with her mother. Not to say she didn't miss her mother but, after being away for so long it wasn't easy to just go back to that kind of life. As she woke up and looked over at the man that lay sleeping in her bed, she reveled in the perks of independent living. As "cool" as her mom might be, having a boy in her bed in her childhood home, would have gone over like a lead balloon.

She lay looking at Marty as he slept and studied his every feature. She never would have thought that he would have such a body hidden under those clothes, nor would she have believed if you had told her a year ago, that she would be waking up with him in the morning.

"You're doing it again." He said to her eyes still closed to the morning light.

"What." Rory said.

"You are staring at me while I am sleeping." He said with a smile, but still not opening his eyes.

"Maybe." She said playfully.

"I can feel your eyes on me." He said wrapping an arm around her and rolling her onto his stomach; it was only then, that they were nose to nose in the morning light he opened his eyes to meet hers. "Good morning." He said, receiving his morning kiss.

"Good morning." She said going in for another.

They were about to get carried away when a little gurgling giggle came from across the room. They both laughed, she may not have her mother to keep her from any monkey business, but her daughter was doing a fine job.

"Go back to sleep Ellie." Rory called playfully.

Ellie responded by clapping.

"I don't think you are going to convince her." Marty said allowing Rory to sit up in bed and look over at her daughter. Ellie pulled herself up to the crib rail and babbled to them.

"You ever think that she is saying something to us, we just can't understand what it is?" Marty said.

"I think that is…change my diaper, in Ellie." Rory said walking over and retrieving her daughter. As she laid her on the changing table Marty stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. This wasn't the thought he had of them when he first met Rory naked in the halls of their Yale dormitory, in all the visions he had, it was the two of them alone, but this vision though different from the one he had first pondered was perfect all the same.

Luke and Lorelai had arrived at the diner only moments before the trio made their way down the stairs and as they came through the curtain behind the counter, it was a surprise to all.

"Mom." Rory said rushing to her mother and giving her a hug. "I wasn't expecting you back until later this afternoon."

"Well the thanks to the pit stop Nazi over here…" She said gesturing to her husband. "We made good time."

It was at that moment that both Luke and Lorelai's stares settled on Marty who was standing holding Ellie behind her.

"Marty, good to see you again." Lorelai said with- holding any judgment.

Luke looked at his watch before he spoke.

"A little early to just be getting here, isn't it Marty." He said in a nice, yet threatening tone.

"Well…uhh…" Marty stammered remembering the talk they had had the night of the wedding.

"Rory…" Luke said questioning his step-daughter.

"What, he stayed over." Rory said copping a what's your point attitude.

"I see." Luke said taking a deep breath and exhaling through his nose.

"Luke, come on." Lorelai said putting and arm around him and stroking his back in attempt to calm him.

"I thought we had an agreement." Luke said looking directly at Marty.

"Yes, sir, we did, I told you I wouldn't hurt her, and I haven't." Marty said trying to not show his fear.

"Uh-huh." Luke said not amused.

"He stayed over…I don't see the problem." Rory said annoyed.

"The problem is, he and I had a deal." Luke said standing.

"Sir, I would never break my word to you, but…"

"Luke, relax, I mean…we know she…well…" Lorelai took Ellie from Marty. "Behold your granddaughter." Lorelai said trying to make the point of her daughters lack of innocence without just coming out and saying it.

As Lorelai held Ellie out in front of him she reached out her arms for him to take her. He forgot his anger for a moment and allowed the baby to come to him. She giggled and put her little slobber soaked hands on his cheeks and playfully patted them.

"Hey baby girl, did you miss your papa." Luke said letting his frustrations slip away in the presence of the child.

"Papa!" Ellie mocked and giggled.

"Did she just?" Rory said looking at her mother.

"Say papa?" Lorelai finished.

"Papa." Elli squealed again.

Luke couldn't believe his ears, and frankly neither could anyone else.

"That's right…papa… I'm grandma." Lorelai said as her granddaughter just stared at her not amused. "No fair, you get the easy name."

"Ellie…mama." Rory said pointing to herself and holding her hands out for her to come to her.

Ellie laid her head on Luke's shoulder as if to say no way to her mother.

"Ellie go see mommy." Luke said trying to hand her off.

"Papa!" Ellie shouted in disagreement.

"I think she wants her papa." Marty said trying to sneak in brownie points with Luke.

"You aren't off the hook just yet." Luke said.

"Luke, you gave her that apartment, you can't lord it over her now." Lorelai said.

Luke knew that when it came to Rory, Lorelai would always have the final say and if she didn't have a problem with Marty staying over, he had to put aside his newly honed fatherly protectiveness and allow for the coop.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Luke asked.

"No sir." Marty answered for them.

"Sit down, I'll make some pancakes." Luke said handing Ellie to Lorelai and walking back towards the kitchen.

"Close one." Lorelai said as they sat down at a table.

"I know what is with him?" Rory asked still a bit annoyed that Marty had met with attack.

"He is just still feeling out his new job titles." Lorelai said. "I think, we have nailed down what his husbandly duties entail…garbage…make me happy, fix things, make me happy, cook, make me happy…"

"Ok, I think we get it."

"But I don't think that he is sure of how to handle being your step-dad." Lorelai said.

"Why does anything have to change, he has always been like a dad, he has done fine, really hasn't lost it on me yet…" Rory said.

"I will work on him. I have _many_ ways to persuade him."

"Mom!" Rory said pointing at Marty.

"What? If he is sleeping with you he can hear this conversation…"

"Mom!"

"What…honey, we know you have sex it's okay, the cats out of the bag, we call her Ellie, honey meet your daughter." Lorelai said joking with her daughter. "Just be warned Marty, what ever you do…I will know…either she will tell me or I will use my many proven ways to get her to talk." Lorelai said winking at Marty and making him a little uncomfortable. Lorelai loved messing with him, it was too easy.

The bell rang above the door and Sookie rushed in.

"Ahhhh…I heard you were back early, why are you back early is everything all right, where's Luke, what happened, oh my God, you didn't leave him did you…what were you thinking, you just got married,…" Sookie babbled a mile a minute.

"Sookie, relax…he is in the kitchen, we just made good time."

"Oh since when have you made good time anywhere, you take like a million pit stops."

"Ah…and my million versus his none, makes for a quick trip." Lorelai said.

"I am not going to stop at every road side tourist trap and buy useless crap that I will wonder why I have in a couple of days." Luke said as he walked up to the table with the pancakes.

"That crap is not useless." Lorelai argued.

"What pray tell are you going to do with your new collection of shot glasses with dumb phrases like Virgina is for lovers on them?"

"You wait, when I die that is what everyone will be fighting over." Lorelai said.

"There will be no fighting." Rory said. "Have dibs."

"Still, I don't understand you two." Luke said sitting down.

"And if you wish to remain sane, pray you never will." Lorelai said kissing his cheek.

"So how was the trip?" Marty asked fearing being silent, but also knowing that piping up could get him in trouble. Thankfully it seemed that Lorelai had one this round of the argument and they began to tell them all about the honey moon.

Later that night, after spending the rest of the day running errands and playing with Ellie, Luke and Lorelai returned home to face the mountains of boxes that now inhabited the living room of the formerly Gilmore house. Lorelai couldn't help but smile when they returned to see that someone had re-painted the mail box to read Danes in black letters it was a pleasant reminder that this was now their home. The stacks of Luke's stuff through out the house…were a bigger reminder to that fact.

"Seriously honey, I thought I knew the answer to this but now I am not sure…are you sure you aren't a woman?" Lorelai said wading through the boxes that filled their living room.

"What!" He called a bit annoyed at his wife for interrupting his work unpacking.

"Nothing." Lorelai said.

"You know what the most annoying thing in the world is?" Luke said impatiently.

"Jessica Simpson on helium?" She guessed.

"No, someone talking to you, when they are too far away for you to hear them and then, when you ask what they said…they say…nothing." He said.

"It really was nothing, and I don't care to repeat it." She said sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

"Come here you." He said pulling her through the mounds of boxes over to his lap.

"Luke seriously where did you keep all this stuff in that tiny apartment?" Lorelai asked astonished.

"Away, everything had a place it was never so compact as it is now, it will find a place." He said.

Lorelai looked around the living room and noticed something missing in the small chair under the window.

"Where is the clown pillow Luke?"

"What clown pillow?" He replied innocently.

"The one that normally sits in that chair." She said pointing to it's home.

"I don't know, maybe one of the movers packed it and sent it over to Rory's." He said.

"I haven't seen it over there, have you?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, no…"Luke said.

"Come on Luke where is it? Did you do something with it?" She askd.

"I put it in the attic." He finally admitted.

"You what?" Lorelai asked shocked.

"I put it in the attic."

"Why?"

"Because it gave me the creeps."

"A pillow gave you the creeps?"

"A pillow with a clown on it yes, it gave me the creeps." He said.

"Are you telling me that you, Luke Danes, tough as nails…are afraid of clowns?"

"I am not afraid of them…I just don't like them."

"How can you not like clowns, that is like not liking Santa."

"Frankly, I could do with out him too."

"Oh my God, how can you not like Santa…I love Santa!"

"They are all creepy, any guy that puts on a suit and acts all happy to lure kids in…."

"Ok, Luke you have always been a little ba-humbug…but jeez this is…"

"I know, you can't tell anyone."

"Tell them what?" She said with a smile.

"That I am afraid of clowns." He muttered under his breath.

She cracked up laughing and knocked over some boxes.

"It isn't funny Lorelai."

"Yes, it is." She said laughing even harder.

"Lorelai stop it." Luke said.

Lorelai composed her self again and looked at Luke who didn't seem at all amused.

"Okay, I won't tell anyone."

"That is your first promise as my wife, so you better keep it." Luke warned.

"I will." She said with a chuckle.

"Lorelai…" He called as she bolted up the stairs.

"What…" She called back to him as she fell up the stairs in laughter.

"Don't make me come up there…" Luke said.

"I really think you should…" She called in her best get naked voice.

Luke couldn't resist the call as he followed her up the stairs forgetting for a moment the large amounts of unpacking still left to do.

Laying in bed that night as she was about to fall asleep Lorelai looked around the darkened room. Luke had fallen asleep shortly after round three, but she was still wide awake. So many things had changed so quickly over the last year, so many things that would never be the same. Rory moved back in had a baby and had now moved back out, she had married Luke and was now starting a new chapter in her crazy life with him, so many things had changed but, Lorelai had never been so happy or excited. She couldn't sleep, slowly and quietly she crawled out of bed trying hard to not wake Luke.

"Where are you going." He mumbled half asleep as he felt her weight leave the bed.

"Shhh…I can't sleep, go back to bed." She said quietly and stood in the dark in silence for a moment until she heard his faint snore. Then she crept out of their room and down the stairs.

She meandered in and out of the boxes for a while, looking at Luke's things, all the things that had meant something to him in his life, all the things that once lived in that apartment across town that held so many memories for him and for their relationship. It was his fathers office, then his apartment, he lived with Jess there, he had not lived with Nicole there, it was the first place they had made love, and now her daughter was making her own memories there with her own daughter. She walked into the kitchen and stood in the doorway of Rory's room, it looked much as it had when she still lived there, she hadn't taken everything when she left. The books were still on the shelf, and some of Ellie's baby clothes lay on the dresser. Lorelai loved her new life, but couldn't help but be a little home sick for her old one. It had always been the two of them, the unsinkable Gilmore girls, and now, Rory was gone, and Lorelai was not even a Gilmore anymore. Sure Rory had just moved across town, and they still saw each other every day but it was a different kind of life for them now.

Across town Rory lay awake in the light from the town square. Marty lay next to her sleeping not a care in the world as she snuck from bed. She walked over to the crib where her daughter slept and looked in on her as she did most nights. She stood there watching her daughter sleep and wondered if it was possible to have the kind of relationship with her daughter, which she had with her mother. Theirs was not a typical kind of relationship, and the chances of that kind of bond between the two of them seemed unlikely. Ellie would grow up differently than Rory did, for most of her life, Rory didn't see her grand parents and Ellie saw hers every day. Rory didn't have her father present as Ellie wouldn't, but Rory hoped that Marty would be the one to fill that void for her much like Luke had for Rory. Now, Lorelai was married to the man that Rory had always looked to when she needed a male influence. Their lives were different forever, she wondered if Lorelai felt the days when it was just the two of them slipping away like she did. That was when she saw the light from her cell phone on the table. Quickly and quietly she walked over to the table and picked it up, it was her mother.

"Hello." She whispered.

"Rory, it's me, I am down stairs, come let me in." Lorelai said.

Rory closed her phone and gingerly walked out the front door and down the stairs. Lorelai stood outside the diner door dancing in the cold of the night. As Rory opened the door she rushed inside.

"Geez, could you please move a little slower." Lorelai said as she entered and went straight for the coffee maker.

"Sorry. Mom what are you doing?"

"Coffee." Lorelai said picking pouring the grounds into the coffee maker.

"No, I mean here, what are you doing here." Rory asked.

"Couldn't sleep." Lorelai said still shaking.

"So, you thought…coffee, from Luke's, when you actually can have Luke's coffee in your own home?" Rory said.

"I just wanted to see, if you were awake, thought we might be able to have a pow-wow." Lorelai said in her usual hurried tone.

"It is two a.m." Rory said.

"Since when has that been a problem." Lorelai said.

"I dunno since…"

"Since everything changed." Lorelai finished.

"Well mom." Rory said.

"See Rory, we can't let this happen." Lorelai said. "We can just let it all go just because some things have changed doesn't mean we have to let everything change, I don't want to lose that, our stuff, it's not right, I won't allow it."

"Well me either, but don't you think your husband might wonder where you are?"

"I left him a note if he wakes up…"Lorelai said.

"Mom…"

"I know hon, I know I am married now, I have to grow up and be responsible, but I have lived 37 years, raised a kid, bought a house, started a business and thus far have avoided the having to grow up and be responsible trap, why is it that now that I have a ring on my finger everything has to change."

"You getting married isn't the only thing that has changed." Rory said sympathetic. "I have a _kid._ One who is starting to talk…and wants to walk…and I am terrified is never going to have the kind of relationship with me that I have with you."

"Oh hon, she will, we can make sure of that."

"I miss us." Rory said accepting a hot cup of coffee from her mother. Lorelai came around the counter and sat on the stool beside her.

"Me too." Lorelai said.

"So what do we do." Rory asked.

"What we always have, see that is the thing…we stopped doing what we always did because there was more than just you and me. Who says we can't just tweak what we do and include Luke, Ellie and Marty."

"Would I be an awful mother I said I don't want include Ellie, or Marty or Luke. I miss movie night, I miss grab bag night at Al's, I miss Sephora days, and eating tons of miss matched food until one of us gives up and we both wanted to die."

"Yeah those were good times." Lorelai said.

"Are they done?"

"I dunno, maybe." Lorelai said.

"I was afraid of that."

"I mean, maybe they are over but…I don't know…who is to say that, teaching Ellie to walk and talk, and me getting to know Marty and starting new traditions with all of them won't be as fun."

"Yeah, I can't believe she said papa." Rory said.

"I know Luke couldn't stop talking about it all day, he was like did you hear her, and going on and on, he has a real soft spot for that girl."

"What was my first word?" Rory asked.

"I wish I could tell you it was something original like book, or something, but I still remember you looked right at me and you said mama and you had me all over again. Man kid, I fall in love with you over again every day. It is the coolest thing." Lorelai said.

"I know what you mean…I mean I really do, there are days where I am like, I couldn't love Ellie more and then, I do…" Rory said with a smile.

"So…we haven't talked about the boy." Lorelai said taking a pie out from under the glass and grabbing two forks.

"Luke is going to kill us you know."

"Nah…we are married now, all of this…" She said gesturing around the room. "Is half mine." Lorelai said with a smile.

"That's right isn't it…well…after the dance we came back here to look at the place…" Rory started to tell her mother.

They were still in the diner talking in their pajamas when the sun came up and Luke arrived to open the diner. He just smiled at them and laughed, he was glad to see they were back, it had seemed to him for a while, neither one of them knew how to get back there. He went put on a fresh pot of coffee and went back and made breakfast. Soon Marty came down with Ellie and the five of them sat and had breakfast together talking and laughing. Luke warned Marty of what he was getting into, as Ellie babbled on and on about nothing. "Much like her mother and grandmother do." Luke said.

As Lorelai walked back to her house after breakfast she was happy in the realization that maybe things never would be the same, but that was okay, because now, things were better than they had ever been before. And as Rory lay down in her bed with Marty and Ellie between them, she was happy knowing that maybe things would change forever more, but some changes, even those you cannot predict, or plan…were the best kind.


	17. Chapter 17: Life is Full of Surprises

A.N.- I know it has been a while since I updated, but I am back now, and hopefully, you still enjoy it!

Disclaimer- One of these things is false… My boyfriend recently admitted he likes Gilmore Girls, I have way too much time on my hands, and I own Gilmore girls. Can you spot the facts from the fiction?

Chapter 17- Life is Full of Surprises

It had been three months since the girls stayed up all night and talked about what had been, and all that was to come. The time seemed to fly by and the months were marked with milestones in every ones life. Ellie took her first steps and added mama, and nah-nee (meaning Lorelai) to her vocabulary in addition to no and thank you which came out more like tee too.

The Inn was doing so well it was featured in a hand full of travel magazines and it was booked through the winter months and spring was filling up fast not an easy feat for a new Inn but word of mouth and good press go a long way. The added security gave Lorelai the resources she needed to hire on more staff, including Rory who after much resistance accepted a job working along side her mother in what Lorelai was happy to call the family business. With the added volume of clients and press Lorelai found her-self in need of a spokes person of sorts, someone who would be able to field questions for articles, make up fliers and other ads and maintain her new favorite thing the Dragon Fly in online page. She couldn't think of anyone better than Rory for the job and after a lot of coaxing and adding another five dollars an hour to what she was making at the paper Lorelai had her girl.

It seemed that no matter what was going on in their lives it was a family affair. Time spent and memories made were the first order of business for all of them. Family first, everything else second the way it was supposed to be. They fell into a routine, and a comfort zone that made it easy to just sit back and relax and let their garden grow. The family topic as of late, was Luke and Lorelai adding the pitter patter of little feet to the now quite house they lived in. Spending time with Ellie and loving her and each other so much made it easy to decide to try to have one, and see what happened.

Little did Luke know as he and Lorelai sat at the counter of the diner playing with their one-year-old grand daughter, she had some big news she was waiting to share.

"Who's that?" Lorelai asked pointing at Luke.

"Papa." Ellie squealed as she patted his face.

"Good job, who's that?" Luke said pointing at Lorelai.

"Nah Nee." Ellie said clapping.

"Good job." Lorelai said. "Who's this?" She said pointing at Ellie.

"El El." She said.

"Who am I?" Kirk said wanting to join in on the fun.

Ellie stuck out her tongue and blew making a noise that made her squeal in delight.

"Sorry Kirk we haven't worked on Kirk with her yet." Lorelai said picking her up.

"What is taking them so long?" Luke said gesturing to the upstairs apartment.

"Who knows. She better hurry up, we have a lot to do at the Inn." Lorelai said with a smile. She was so glad when she was able to offer Rory the job at the Inn. She had always envisioned the Inn as a family business the way it had been with she and Mia in the early days and she loved nothing more than when Rory helped at the Inn when she had free time. It took a little, well, admittedly a lot of coaxing on Lorelais part to get Rory to agree to work for her, but once Lorelai justified the need for a public relations rep to Rory and proved to her that the Inn was pulling in more than enough money to pay her more than the newspaper was she caved and now ran all the promotions for the Inn. From their new web site to magazine publications and advertising Rory took care of it all, and Lorelai could focus on her guests and enjoying her Inn again. In addition to the extra pay, flexible hours and her mom being her boss, the job also allowed her to bring Ellie with her and leave her with the newly added day care provider for the Inn. In addition to taking on Davey, Ellie and Sookies new baby Katie, she watched the guests children when they wanted to take part in activities that weren't suitable or conducive to children.

It was the perfect balance and in addition to loving her job, Rory was still very happy with Marty who had been more and more a part of she and Ellies life. Though he technically had a place at Yale he spent as much of his free time if not all of it in Stars Hollow with she and Ellie. In fact, Lorelai was beginning to wonder if his lunch time visit today was what keeping her daughter at the moment.

No sooner had she thought it than they heard the noises from her apartment apartment. At first it just sounded like someone had flopped something down on the bed. Then it sounded like someone was repeatedly dropping something on the bed. Then to Lorelai's horror came Rory's voice though not completely clear, Lorelai could add up the facts.

Luke looked at her and she looked at him with a look of mortification on their faces.

"If, we can hear them…" Luke said looking at Lorelai.

"They could hear us down here…" Lorelai said thinking back to the times they spent in that apartment during business hours and shooting a questioning look to Kirk.

"Oh yeah, we could hear it." He said matter- of-fact returning to his lunch.

"Lorelai, do something." Luke said looking around at the few customers that remained in the diner.

"Like what?" Lorelai said.

"Go tell them, stop this." Luke said.

"How?"

"Just go up there."

"Honey, what is the harm, I mean they don't have a lot of time without Ellie there." Lorelai said trying to defend her daughter.

"I can't listen to my…ahh…to Rory…" He raised his voice then turned and lowered it. "Having sex."

"Oh…that." Lorelai whispered. "Fine, but if she never speaks to me again it is on you." She said handing Ellie over to him.

"Rory!" Lorelai called as she walked up the stairs in the diner. "Rory honey." Lorelai said again as she reached the door and knocked.

The squeaking bed stopped.

"Uh…" She heard Rory's flustered voice come from behind the door.

"Just a sec mom, hang on…" She pleaded with her mother from the other side.

"Take your time hon." Just then she heard a crash and Marty's voice swear as Rory shhhed him.

"It's okay Marty, if Rory thinks I don't know that you are both in there scrambling for clothes then, she doesn't realize who her mother is."

"Mom!" Rory called again as she opened the door, hair a mess and shirt buttoned crooked.

Lorelai couldn't help but laugh, she knew how it was, she'd been there herself. You get a little time without your child around and you go for the gusto.

"We should really be getting back to the Inn, we need to finish getting ready for the photo shoot." Lorelai said through her snickers.

"Oh, right, uh let me change and we will be right down." Rory said.

"Sure thing hon." Lorelai said as Rory closed the door again. As Lorelai turned she couldn't resist to sing a few bars. "Sky rockets in flight…afternoon delight…" She sang as she heard Rory yell at her again from up stairs.

As she emerged from behind the curtain she snickered again as she heard them arguing about whether or not she heard them.

"Ahh…thank you." Luke said kissing her and handing Ellie back over.

A few moments later Rory and Marty emerged from behind the curtain dressed and ready to go, Marty's eyes glued to the floor. Rory walked straight over to Lorelai and took Ellie from her, hoping to use her as a deterrent.

"All right, are we off then?" Rory said hoping to avoid the embarrassing situation that Lorelai would be so tempted to mock.

"I don't know, are we?" Lorelai said.

"Mom!" Rory screeched.

"What? What, why are you mad…oh…you thought I meant…ha…good one…but I didn't even think about it. Ha. I just meant are you ready. You thought I meant…ha…that's great…dirty…but great." Lorelai snickered.

"All right. Let's go." Rory said walking towards the door. "I don't want to be late."

Lorelai turned to Luke and kissed him on the cheek.

"See ya later honey. Pick you up at 6:15." She said as she walked toward the door.

"For what?" Luke joked pretending he didn't remember that it was Friday, and he was in for a night of fun at the Gilmore house.

"For…" She almost snapped at him but she saw him grinning and knew that he was just toying with her.

"See you tonight." He said as he waved and went into the kitchen.

Luke stood on the front porch of their house waiting for Lorelai at 6:20, he knew with traffic there was no way that they were going to be on time and he could hear Emily now. It was another ten minutes later that Lorelai and Rory pulled up.

"It's about time, what took so long?"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." Lorelai said as she got out of the Jeep and went around to the passenger side.

When they got back into the Jeep Lorelai explained over Ellies cooing, that the new night manager (who Michel in true Michel fashion hated) was late and then Ellie spilled all over her new dress forcing them to have to change her into a dress she had nearly out grown and the whole fiasco took up the extra time.

"It's fine really, I just was hoping to not have to hear from your mother again how we need to leave with enough time to allow for traffic but not so much time to arrive too early and pose an inconvenience to your host." Luke said and as he babbled on he kind of trailed off like a soldier telling a war story.

"Okay, hon, it's okay, she can't hurt you any more." Lorelai said shooing him along.

They arrived at the Gilmore house that night just a few minutes late, thankfully there was little traffic and Luke sped as much as he would with Ellie in the car. Luke didn't worry too much though his favorite thing about his granddaughter was her ability to take the focus off of everyone else when they went for dinner on Friday nights. As they rand the bell Ellie giggled with glee, she loved the sound of the bells.

Emily opened the door.

"Right on time, I am impressed." She said as they filed in the house.

"Yeah, we were cutting it close there for a while, but there wasn't very much traffic…" Luke started to tell her. He realized half way through his thought that she had already walked away and was gushing over Ellie.

"Look at how big you are." Emily cooed at Ellie as she took her from Rory.

"Mom it has only been a week she couldn't have grown that much." Lorelai said as she followed into the living room.

"Richard, they are here." Emily called as she sat with Ellie on the love seat.

"Hello everyone." Richard said as he entered the room and went straight over to Ellie.

"Don't worry Dad, Luke will get the drinks." Lorelai said sarcastically.

"Oh well thank you Luke." Richard said not noticing that she was kidding.

Luke looked at Lorelai and they shot each other looks before he finally got up and started to pour the drinks after losing their look fight.

"Yes, that's pretty isn't it…" Emily said as Ellie pulled on her necklace.

"Ellie, no, be gentel." Rory reprimanded her daughter.

"She is fine." Emily said not taking her eyes off Ellie.

"That is a two carrot diamond on that necklace, your daughter has expensive taste." Richard said.

"Just like her Grandmother." Luke added.

"Well, and her Great-grandmother for that matter."

The women glared at their respective men and the point was made.

"So dad how are things?" Lorelai said trying to carry the conversation.

"Business is good." Richard asked.

"And mom?"

"Things are good. Rory, I think it might be time to take Ellie shopping again, she seems to be getting a little too tall for her dress." Emily said.

"She will be fine for a little while longer I think. She had another dress but she spilled all over it before we came so she had to be changed." Rory said.

"She only has one dress that fits?" Emily questioned.

"No it was just…" Rory knew she was losing this battle.

"Mom, really she has plenty of clothes you don't need to buy her more." Lorelai said.

"Nonsense we can go tomorrow." Emily insisted.

"I don't know grandma…"

"My treat." Richard interrupted before Rory could decline.

"Dad, Rory can afford the clothes she just doesn't think that she needs them now." Lorelai said defending both her daughter and the amount of money that she paid her each month.

"I am sure she can Lorelai, that is why it is called treating…because it is unexpected…a pleasant surprise." Richard said.

Emily put Ellie down and she toddled about the room making her mother and Lorelai both nervous. The Gilmore house wasn't exactly baby friendly.

"That is nice grandpa thank you." Rory said though she was beginning to grow tired of their constant need to 'treat' she and Ellie to things that they didn't really need.

"Diner is served Mrs. Gilmore." Hattie, the new maid announced.

Thankfully the rest of dinner was normal and quite, they discussed the same five topics they always did, Ellie, Luke and Lorelai, Marty and Rory, Work, Travel, and their meal. No one seemed to notice that Lorelai abstained from both her before and after diner cocktails and by nine thirty they were heading home.

The drive home was quite, as it normally was, Ellie would fall asleep in her car seat within seconds of them driving and the rest of them would talk quietly or not at all on they way home. Tonight it was a not at all kind of night. While there was no real drama with the grandparents that night, the experience always seemed a bit grating on everyone regardless to their mood, or the topics discussed. It seemed to them, that Lorelais parents would never understand her families happy simple life.

They pulled up outside the diner a little past ten and Lorelai helped get Ellie upstairs and to bed, while Luke checked and made sure the diner was closed down to his specifications.

"She is getting heavy." Lorelai said after laying Ellie down in her crib.

"Yeah maybe you shouldn't be carrying her I didn't even think about that." Rory said out of no where.

"What do you mean? Why shouldn't I carry her, I am not old and decrypted, I just said she was getting big."

"Because, you shouldn't lift heavy things, when you are pregnant." Rory came back at her mother.

Lorelais eyes nearly popped out of her head. How did she know that?

"How did you know that?" Lorelai asked as she pulled her daughter over to her couch to sit down.

"So you are!" Rory said hugging her then slugging her arm.

"Owe what that for? And yes, I am."

"The hug was for my new brother or sister, the punch was for my mom who didn't even bother telling me."

"I didn't want you to know. I haven't told Luke yet, I am going to the doctor on Monday to find out for sure, I just don't want to get his hopes up you know? I didn't want to get yours up either. It is bad enough that I have mine up." Lorelai said. Rory looked at her mom and smiled. She knew how badly she wanted a baby, and how hard she and Luke had been trying.

"How did you know? I mean do you think he knows too?" Lorelai asked.

"Tonight, you didn't drink at all, before or after dinner, you didn't touch your cocktail, and if there is one thing you live for when we are at the grand parent's house it is the cocktails." Rory said.

"So you think he…" Lorelai started to ask again.

"He has no clue." Rory said.

"Can we keep it that way? I really don't want to disappoint him." Lorelai said.

"Your secret is safe with me." Rory said as she walked her mother to the door and gave her a hug and kiss good-bye.

"Bye hon." Lorelai said.

"See you tomorrow." Rory said.

"Breakfast?" Lorelai asked.

"No I will probably grab something at the Inn." Rory said with a smile.

"You aren't working tomorrow are you?"

"Just for a while, I have some things to finish up." Rory said with a smile.

"Do you need me to take Ellie?" Lorelai asked.

"Nah, Marty will be here a little later tonight and he will watch her for a couple of hours." Rory said. "Go on, go get some sleep, enjoy your day off tomorrow."

Lorelai walked down the stairs and found her husband wiping off the counter, his tie hung loose around his neck and the top buttons of his shirt undone. He smiled when he noticed her looking at him, and she walked up and put her arms around his waist.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, Rory just wanted to have a little girl talk." Lorelai said. "Sorry for making you wait."

"No big deal, after the first eight years of waiting for you, any wait now, is a cake walk." Luke said turning to face her and give her a kiss.

"You look like you have something on your mind." He said as he looked her in the eye.

"It's nothing, I am fine, just Inn stuff." She lied.

"Okay." He said. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yeah." She said. "Let's go do something." She insisted.

"Like what?" Luke said.

"I dunno, lets go to a midnight movie or something." Lorelai said pulling him out the door.

"Aren't you tired?" Luke asked his wife.

"No, I am wide awake." She said with a smile.

"So movie?" He asked.

"Movie." She confirmed, knowing that if the pitter patter of little feet were on the way that the times for spur of the moment decision making was fading fast.

"We're off." Luke said as he put the Jeep into drive and headed back to Hartford.

It was two fourteen a.m. when Rory's cell phone rang. She jumped from her bed to answer knowing it was probably her mother and hoping that it wouldn't wake Ellie. She was wrong on both accounts. Ellie began to cry as she picked up the phone and answered to an unfamiliar voice.

"Miss Gilmore?" The voice asked.

"Yes." Rory said her heart leaping out of her chest, she knew that no good news came from strangers at two a.m., as Marty got up to take care of Ellie, Rory sat on the edge of the bed and listened as the woman on the other end of the line told her about the car wreck that her mother and step-father were involved in. She began to shake as the woman asked her to come to the hospital as soon as she could.

Her eyes were full of tears when she hung up the phone.

"What's wrong, what's the matter." Marty asked rushing over to her.

"Mom and Luke were hit by a drunk driver in Hartford." Rory said.

"That can't be right, they dropped you off and went home hours ago." Marty said.

"They much have decided to go back for some reason." Rory said crying as she got dressed as quickly as she could.

"Are they okay?" Marty asked.

"I don't know." Rory said. "They said it was bad." Rory said in a trance like state. Marty could tell she was in shock and she would not be able to share the details of what she had just been told. He was pulling on his shoes to go when she spoke again.

"Oh my God Marty…" Rory said.

"What?"

"My mom, told me tonight, she thought she was pregnant." Rory said terrified that the baby would not be okay.

Marty took her in his arms and hugged her close.

"It will be okay. I will call the hospital and let them know." Marty said picking up the phone.

"No, I will, you call my grandparents." Rory said not wanting to trust anyone even Marty with her siblings possible existence.

Marty heard Rory crying to the nurse to let the doctors know that her mother might be pregnant, as Richard picked up the phone.

No good news came at two a.m. and this night there was no exception to that rule.


End file.
